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Anteating Chat
Myrmecocichla

Habits: Solitary, in pairs on in small groups of 6 or more birds. Perches on termite mounds, bushes, fences or telephone wires. Flies with a blur of white wings, hovering, swerving, and dropping to ground or perch. Often raises tail after landing, rarely flicks wings. Forages by hopping or running on ground (in Winter) or by dropping onto prey from perch (in Summer). Calls in flight or on perch.


Food: Insects (Ants taken mosty in Winter), solifugids, millipedes and fruit.

Not much difference between the appearance of adult and juvenile birds. Only the yellow gape gives this one away

Your bird is a female. Males are even darker brown and has a white shoulder patch. The white primary feathers under the wing is white and conspicuously shown when the bird takes off with its wings rapidly beating.

The full scientific name is Myrmecocichla formicivora

Saw them for the first time in KTP this year



Larger Pic

Saw my first one with the legendary JvR last month.

Saw my 1st one today at Suikerbosrand NR

Mine too!

That area is very good for them.......and the Free state is full of these brown guys on the fences The white wing patches giving them away in flight!

Jan- You are very lucky to have seen the Male with a distinct shoulder patch! Saw mine in the form of 2 females

Hi Batmad - Suggest you make a trip to Rietvlei NR if you stay in the Pretoria area. At the moment there are many Ant-eating Chats present, both male and female.

Regards

jan46

Thanks jan! Will hopefully take a trip up there soon

Really great photo jan46 (Just mind the dust spots)

Taken at Rietvlei NR.

Taken at Mokala in Feb 2011:

Seen at Mountain Zebra on 15 September 2011.

Seen yesterday on Eleaser road, Potchefstroom - group of four, one male three females of which this is one.