Common Rock Thrush

Monticola saxatilis

Other Names

  Rock Thrush, Mountain Rock Thrush, Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush   Monticole merle-de-roche   Steinrötel   Roquero Rojo   Stentrast   Rode Rotslijster   Codirossone

World: From S Europe and NW Africa, E through the Balkans to Turkey and the Near East N Iraq, Iran and S Russia and through souther SSRas far as SW Siberia, Mongolia, China. Overwinters in N and E Africa and occasionally in S Asia.

Kenya: Common migrant from late October through to early April in dry open grassland and cultivation. Absent from the arid N and heavily forested regions.

This is a mostly solitary bird which is primarily ground feeding. It perches on rocks or stumps and then hopping or flying down to take prey (large insects such as locusts, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars etc). It also eats a variety of berries. It is generally silent. The bird pictured above is a male in autumn plumage showing the characteristic pale feather edging.