Brown-tailed Rock Chat

Cercomela scotocerca

Other Names

  Brown-tailed Chat   Traquet à queue brune   Braunschwanz         Codinero codabruna

World: Africa in Sudan, Somalia, Kenya and Uganda.

Kenya: At the southern end of it's range in Kenya; found only in the North and North East.

A seriously undistinguished little bird that only a birder or ornithologist would bother looking for! It's main distinguishing feature is its brown-ness and it's distinguished from the similar Red-tailed Chat by the fact that it's well, browner. It's fairly uncommon and prefers rocky bush country. It's range extends down as far as Samburu, but the best place we've found to see it is near Lake Baringo where it can usually be found at the base of the basalt cliffs just West of the lake. Even there it can be difficult to spot since it blends in well against the rocks and dust, especially in the dry season when evrything looks (wait for it) brown.