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 Pilanesberg National Park, based on 33 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Pilanesberg National Park
Mariqua Flycatcher
Bradornis mariquensis
Kalahari Scrub Robin
Erythropygia paena
White-Throated Robin-Chat
Cossypha humeralis
Familiar Chat
Oenanthe familiaris
White-browed Scrub Robin
Erythropygia leucophrys
Southern Black Flycatcher
Melaenornis pammelaina
Mocking Cliff Chat
Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris
Capped Wheatear
Oenanthe pileata
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striata
Short-toed Rock-Thrush
Monticola brevipes
Fiscal Flycatcher
Sigelus silens
Grey Tit-Flycatcher
Myioparus plumbeus
📅 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 Pilanesberg National Park?
About 11% of wildlife watchers report a African Stonechat sighting in Pilanesberg National Park, based on 33 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see African Stonechat in Pilanesberg National Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for African Stonechat in Pilanesberg National Park in our monthly data.