About Cossypha natalensis A.Smith, 1840
Description: The red-capped robin-chat (scientific name Cossypha natalensis A.Smith, 1840) is a relatively large robin-chat species, measuring 15.5 to 19 cm (6.1 to 7.5 inches) in length. Adults have orange-rufous coloring on the head, face, breast, and belly, along with a large dark eye. The overall head appearance is a plain face, with the dark eye at its center. The wings and upperparts of the body are dusky, which contrasts with the bird's tail pattern: dark central tail feathers and bright orange outer tail feathers. Juveniles are mottled dark brown, with rufous-brown spots on the head. Both upperparts and underparts have rufous spots, which grow larger toward the belly. Range: The red-capped robin-chat has a wide distribution across eastern and southern Africa. The subspecies C. n. larischi is found in central and southeastern Nigeria, near Yaoundé in Cameroon, southwestern Gabon, and southern Republic of Congo as far north as the Téké Plateau, extending south into northern and western Angola. The most widespread subspecies is C. n. intensa, which occurs as far north as South Sudan, southwestern Ethiopia, and southern Somalia, and ranges south to northwestern and eastern Zimbabwe, and northern and central Mozambique. In this area, C. n. intensa intergrades with the nominate subspecies. The nominate subspecies is found in southern Mozambique, Eswatini, and northeastern and southeastern South Africa, specifically in Limpopo Province, KwaZulu-Natal, and extending as far as the Transkei District in the Eastern Cape. Habitat: The red-capped robin-chat lives in the undergrowth of evergreen forest, including coastal forests, riverine forests, sand forests, and highland forests located below the cloud forest level. During summer, the species expands its range to include well-vegetated gullies and thickets within drier habitats such as bushveld and thornveld. In KwaZulu-Natal, it is a common species in gardens, where it lives in shrubberies.
