Cichladusa arquata
Silhouette: Martin Bulla, based on François Desbordes' illustration · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The collared palm thrush (Cichladusa arquata) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are dry savannah and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.
The Collared palm thrush is an odd and distinctive bird, easily recognized by its unique features. With a gray head, pale eye, and striking rufous back, it stands out among its feathered counterparts. One of its most defining characteristics is the black mark outlining its throat. This bird prefers to inhabit thickets within palm savannas, where its beautiful song fills the air. Its distinctive song consists of a series of airy, wailing notes, accompanied by chattering and rasping calls. While it may bear some resemblance to the Spotted Morning-Thrush, the Collared thrush stands apart with its pale eye, bright rufous back, and absence of spotting below. Although it shares similarities with nightingales and scrub-robins, the black throat markings serve as a clear distinguishing feature.
Image at ADW Collared palm... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 2 | Mikumi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 3 | Gorongosa National Park | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | |
| 4 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 5 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 6 | Lower Zambezi National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 7 | Mana Pools National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 8 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 9 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 10 | Lake Manyara National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 11 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 12 | Tarangire National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 13 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lusaka | 🇿🇲 Zambia |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Collared Palmthrush sighting in Ruaha National Park on a given day, based on 46 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 96th most-seen of the 276 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Collared Palmthrush in Ruaha National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September, the lowest month. That is one of Ruaha National Park's wettest months, with about 140 mm of rain against almost none in June.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Collared Palmthrush sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
4th of 13
Of the 13 parks where we can rate Collared Palmthrush sightings, Ruaha National Park ranks 4th at about 20%. The best odds are in Liwonde National Park (Malawi, about 70%), Mikumi National Park (Tanzania, about 30%) and Gorongosa National Park (Mozambique, about 20%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Collared Palmthrush is recorded against all the birds logged in Ruaha National Park (46 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.
