African Stonechat
Saxicola torquatus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyMuscicapidae (Papamosques del Vell Món)
- GenusSaxicola (Stonechats and Bushchats)
- SpeciesSaxicola torquatus (African Stonechat)
The African stonechat or common stonechat (Saxicola torquatus) is a species of the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapidae), inhabiting sub-Saharan Africa and adjacent regions. Like the other chats, it was long assigned to the thrush family (Turdidae), to which the chats are convergent. Its scientific name refer to its appearance and habitat and means "collared rock-dweller": Saxicola from Latin saxum ("rock") + incola ("one who dwells in a place"), torquatus, Latin for "collared". In the past S. torquatus usually referred to the entire "common stonechat" superspecies and some sources still keep it that way, but all available evidence strongly supports full species status for the European (S. rubicola) and the Siberian stonechat (S. maurus) of temperate Eurasia, in addition to the island-endemics Fuerteventura chat (S. dacotiae) and Réunion stonechat (S. tectes) which were never unequivocally accepted into S. torquatus. The Madagascar stonechat (S. t. sibilla) has sometimes been considered distinct. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a African Stonechat sighting in Ranomafana National Park, based on 77 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Ranomafana National Park
Madagascar Magpie-Robin
Copsychus albospecularis
Forest Rock-Thrush
Monticola sharpei
Madagascar Bulbul
Hypsipetes madagascariensis
Souimanga Sunbird
Cinnyris sovimanga
Madagascar White-eye
Zosterops maderaspatanus
Tylas Vanga
Tylas eduardi
Madagascar Paradise-Flycatcher
Terpsiphone mutata
Malagasy Brush Warbler
Nesillas typica
Red-tailed Vanga
Calicalicus madagascariensis
Crested Drongo
Dicrurus forficatus
Common Newtonia
Newtonia brunneicauda
Madagascar Wagtail
Motacilla flaviventris
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a African Stonechat in Ranomafana National Park?
About 11% of wildlife watchers report a African Stonechat sighting in Ranomafana National Park, based on 77 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see African Stonechat in Ranomafana National Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for African Stonechat in Ranomafana National Park in our monthly data.