White-browed Robin-Chat

White-browed Robin-Chat

Cossypha heuglini

Silhouette: Martin Bulla, based on François Desbordes' illustration · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
at Harare

In 3 days >90%

438 Verified sightings at Harare
8,142 In all 39 parks From 2019 to 2026
October Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the White-browed Robin-Chat

The white-browed robin-chat (Cossypha heuglini), also known as Heuglin's robin, is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. Found in east, central and southern Africa, its natural habitats include riverine forest and thickets, and it is also found near humans. The IUCN classifies it as a least-concern species.

Hartlaub described the species from Sudan in 1866. The specific epithet is derived from Martin Theodor von Heuglin. The white-browed robin-chat is 19–20 cm (7.5–7.9 in) long and weighs 29–51 g (1.0–1.8 oz). The crown and face are black, and there is a white supercilium over the dark brown eye. The back is olive grey-brown, and the rump is rufous. The two central tail feathers are olive-brown, and the other feathers are orange-rufous. The flight feathers and wing coverts are grey-brown, and the underwing coverts are rufous. The underparts are bright orange... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:40

Kenya · 2026

© He Wenjin · XC1168826 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Duet1:12

Uganda · 2026

© Phil Shaw · XC1157645 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Call0:18

Uganda · 2025

© Bernard BOUSQUET · XC1053598 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~40%
2 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~40%
3 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~40%
4 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~40%
5 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~40%
6 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~30%
7 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~30%
8 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
9 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~30%
10 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~30%
11 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~30%
12 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~20%
13 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
~20%
14 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
15 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
16 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
17 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
~20%
18 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~20%
19 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
20 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
21 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
~10%
22 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
23 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~10%
24 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
25 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
26 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
27 uMkhuze Game Reserve 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
28 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~10%
29 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
30 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
31 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
32 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
33 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
34 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
35 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
36 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
37 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
38 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
39 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Kigali 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~80%
2 Harare 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~60%
3 Mombasa 🇰🇪 Kenya
~60%
4 Bujumbura 🇧🇮 Burundi
~40%
5 Kampala 🇺🇬 Uganda
~30%
6 Lilongwe 🇲🇼 Malawi
~30%
7 Lusaka 🇿🇲 Zambia
~30%
8 Dar es-Salaam 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
9 Lubango 🇦🇴 Angola
~20%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 San Diego Zoo Safari Park 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
2 Burgers' Ocean 🇳🇱 Netherlands In captivity
3 Royal Burgers' Zoo 🇳🇱 Netherlands In captivity
4 Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens 🇨🇳 China In captivity
5 Edward Youde Aviary 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a White-browed Robin-Chat in Harare?

Likely

About 60% of wildlife watchers report a White-browed Robin-Chat sighting in Harare on a given day, based on 438 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 9th most-seen of the 213 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a White-browed Robin-Chat in Harare?

February–June and August–October

In those months about 70% of wildlife watchers report a White-browed Robin-Chat in Harare on a given day, against about 40% in November, the lowest month.

What time of day is best to see a White-browed Robin-Chat?

Between 7 and 10 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-browed Robin-Chat sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Harare the best place to see a White-browed Robin-Chat?

2nd of 9

Of the 9 cities where we can rate White-browed Robin-Chat sightings, Harare ranks 2nd at about 60%. The best odds are in Kigali (Rwanda, about 80%).

Where does the White-browed Robin-Chat sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the White-browed Robin-Chat is recorded against all the birds logged in Harare (438 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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