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It is an African Stonechat, either a female or a immature, look to me like a imm.

Thank you Snoobab
Definately think you spot on as there were plenty of Stonechats around as well as the females. Altough the female had a more obvious orange chest leading to the belly so I think you correct in saying it is an Imm.

I am at my wits end with this bird. It looks like it may be a juvenile of some sort… the question is which sort.

The pix were taken this morning at Suikerbosrand NR on the edge of dry wetland vegetation.







BTW, six of these birds loosely flocked together, all with exactly the same appearance. If they are fledgelings, it must have been a large clutch... or two or more broods happened simultaneously

Your bird looks like an African Stonechat to me. Again, this is an immature bird, judged from the black and brown spotting on the underparts.

Saxicola torquata
Male
Larger Pic

Female
Larger Pic

Habits: Usually in pairs, sometimes solitary. Perches on top of bush, weed, stump, fence or telephone line dropping to catch prey. Hops on ground but soon returns to perch. Flicks wings and tail on landing. Quite tame but wary when nesting. Flight jerky, showing conspicuous rump and wing patches which are white.

Male Stonechat

And another one. Seen in Golden Gate in tall grass mostly. My first thought was the Red-capped Lark but the colouring seems "wrong"?

GP, my first guess would be female Common Stonechat. But will page around a bit tomorrow.

Aha! That would make sense. You mean this little critter's female.

@ GP - yup, that's her man.

All over the place, both in Golden Gate, and other places.

Male:


Female:

Immature stonechat ringed and in the hand just before release, probably male (the rufous chest is starting to show)


Large view

Not seen in a SANpark

This is two photos of the African Stonechat I took in the Kruger close to Satara.