About Saxicola torquatus (Linnaeus, 1766)
Description: Males of this species have a black head, a white half-collar, a black back, a white rump, and a black tail. Their wings are black with a large white patch on the top of the inner wing. The upper breast is usually dark orange-red; the transition to white or pale orange on the lower breast and belly is either sharp or gradual, depending on the subspecies. In a small number of individuals, black replaces some or all of the orange breast feathers. Females have brown instead of black plumage on the upper body and head, with an indistinct paler eyebrow stripe. Their underparts are chestnut-buff rather than orange, and they have less white visible on their wings. For both sexes, plumage is duller and has more streaking outside of the breeding season. Distribution and habitat: This species has a scattered distribution across most of sub-Saharan Africa, and occurs locally as far north as Senegal and Ethiopia. Isolated outlying populations live in the mountains of southwest Arabia, and on the islands of Madagascar and Grande Comore. The species is non-migratory, and only moves locally if it moves at all. This limited movement has led to extensive regional variation, and the species is currently divided into 13 subspecies.
