Malcorus pectoralis
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
The rufous-eared warbler (Malcorus pectoralis) is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. It is the only species in the genus Malcorus. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
The rufous-eared warbler was first described by Andrew Smith in 1829. It belongs to the genus Malcorus, a monotypic genus that occurs in the arid zones of western southern Africa. The taxonomy of the rufous-eared warbler has been debated, with it sometimes being grouped with crombecs, the grassbirds or the prinias. It has most recently been grouped within the family Cisticolidae. It had previously been placed in the genus Prinia, but has since been placed in its own genus due to morphological, behavioural and genetic differences. Its closest relatives are a group of other monotypic warblers, including the black-faced rufous warbler (Bathmocercus rufus), the Socotra warbler (Incana incana), the oriole warbler (Hypergerus atriceps), the grey-capped warbler (Eminia lepida), Winifred's warbler (also known as Mrs Moreau's warbler, Scepomycter winifredae... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 2 | Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Namib-Naukluft National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous-eared Warbler sighting in Etosha National Park on a given day, based on 83 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 139th most-seen of the 260 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January, April, August–September and November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous-eared Warbler in Etosha National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February–March, May–July, October and December, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rufous-eared Warbler sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Rufous-eared Warbler sightings, Etosha National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (South Africa, about 10%) and Namib-Naukluft National Park (Namibia, under 5%).
Same family: Cisticolidae
The closest relatives of the Rufous-eared Warbler that you can see in Etosha National Park (family Cisticolidae, Cisticolas and Allies) are Black-chested Prinia (about 30%), Yellow-bellied Eremomela (about 20%) and Green-backed Camaroptera (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rufous-eared Warbler is recorded against all the birds logged in Etosha National Park (83 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
