Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris

As this species name suggests, mocking cliff chats are rock-dwelling chats that spend their time on cliffs and boulder strewn hillsides and ravines. Their large size and chestnut belly, vent and rump make them easy to separate from all other species.

We first recorded this beautiful chat in April 2010 while staying at the Protea Hotel chalets in the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve. Suikerbosrand is a very reliable spot for this species, especially during winter at the Holhoek picnic area.