Rufous Chatterer

Turdoides rubiginosus

Other Names

    Cratérope rubigineux, Cratérope roux   Heuglindrossling         Garrulo rossiccio

World: Ne Africa from northern Tanzania, Kenya and eastern Uganda, North to southern Sudan, Somalia and central Ethiopia.

Kenya: Found throughout the country except in the arid northern and eastern regions.

A shy bird of low shubbery and other low cover which forages close to the ground. However being rather noisy makes it easier to spot than other low foragers. The adult has striking white or pale yellow eyes and is less rufous above. Actually we were caught out early on by the immature of the species which is more rufous above than the adult and has a dark eye. We spent ages trying to find this distinctive alternate Chatterer in the books before grabbing a local ornithologist who identified it for us!

The picture above is of the western race Turdoides rubiginosus emini which differs from the eastern T. r. heuglini in being greyer above. This race can be seen quite readily at Lake Baringo Club.