African Stonechat
African StonechatAfrican StonechatAfrican StonechatAfrican Stonechat

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Volcanoes National Park
340 Verified records at Volcanoes National Park
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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 →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a African Stonechat sighting in Volcanoes National Park, based on 340 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Volcanoes National Park

Whinchat
LC

Whinchat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Saxicola rubetra

Insufficient data
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher

White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dioptrornis fischeri

40–50% · Likely
White-browed Robin-Chat
LC

White-browed Robin-Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cossypha heuglini

40–50% · Likely
African Dusky Flycatcher
LC

African Dusky Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Muscicapa adusta

30–40% · Possible
White-starred Robin
LC

White-starred Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pogonocichla stellata

10–20% · With luck
Archer's Robin-Chat

Archer's Robin-Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cossypha archeri

10–20% · With luck
Swamp Flycatcher
LC

Swamp Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Muscicapa aquatica

10–20% · With luck
Ashy Alseonax

Ashy Alseonax

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Muscicapa caerulescens

5–10% · With luck
Familiar Chat
LC

Familiar Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oenanthe familiaris

5–10% · With luck
🐦 No photo available
LC

Red-throated Alethe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chamaetylas poliophrys

<5% · Rare
Pale Flycatcher

Pale Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bradornis pallidus

<5% · Rare
Miombo Rock-Thrush
LC

Miombo Rock-Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Monticola angolensis

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
30–40
Feb
40–50
Mar
50–60
Apr
50–60
May
40–50
Jun
40–50
Jul
30–40
Aug
30–40
Sep
40–50
Oct
50–60
Nov
50–60
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

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

# Park Country Probability
1 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
40–50%
2 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
40–50%
3 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
40–50%
4 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
5 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
6 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
20–30%
7 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
8 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
20–30%
9 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
20–30%
10 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
10–20%
11 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
12 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
13 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
10–20%
14 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
15 Ranomafana National Park 🇲🇬 Madagascar
10–20%
16 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
17 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
10–20%
18 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
19 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
5–10%
20 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
21 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
22 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
23 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
5–10%
24 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
25 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
26 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
27 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
28 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
29 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
30 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
31 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
32 Ankarafantsika National Park 🇲🇬 Madagascar
Insufficient data
33 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
34 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
35 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
36 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
37 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
38 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
39 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
40 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
41 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
42 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a African Stonechat in Volcanoes National Park?

About 46% of wildlife watchers report a African Stonechat sighting in Volcanoes National Park, based on 340 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see African Stonechat in Volcanoes National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for African Stonechat in Volcanoes National Park in our monthly data.

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