Cichladusa arquata
Silhouette: Martin Bulla, based on François Desbordes' illustration · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
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 |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Collared Palmthrush sighting in South Luangwa National Park on a given day, based on 39 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 156th most-seen of the 257 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March, May–June and September–October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Collared Palmthrush in South Luangwa National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April, July–August and November–February, the lowest months. Those are among South Luangwa National Park's driest months, with about 35 mm of rain a month against 310 mm in January.
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.
11th of 13
Of the 13 parks where we can rate Collared Palmthrush sightings, South Luangwa National Park ranks 11th at about 10%. 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.
Same family: Muscicapidae
The closest relatives of the Collared Palmthrush that you can see in South Luangwa National Park (family Muscicapidae, Old World Flycatchers, Robins, and Chats) are White-browed Robin-Chat (about 40%), Ashy Alseonax (about 10%) and Southern Black Flycatcher (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Collared Palmthrush is recorded against all the birds logged in South Luangwa National Park (39 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.
