- Tchagra australis
Taxonomy
Habitat
Woodland thornveld, bushveld, especially with thorny thickets.
Behaviour
Breeding: Season: October to November in KwaZulu-Natal, September to March (mainly October-November) in Transvaal, September to April (mainly October-December) in Zimbabwe. Nest: Neat shallow thin-walled cup of stems, roots and fibres, bound with spider web; lined with fine rootlets; usually low down in mixed bush and tall grass, or up to 3 m above ground in fork of bush or tree; built by both sexes in 5-10 days. Clutch: 2-4 eggs (usually 2-3). Eggs: White or pinkish white, spotted and blotched with brown and grey concentrated at thick end.
Incubation: About 14-16 days by both sexes, mostly by female. Nestling: 14-16 days; fed by both parents; young remain with parents for at least 5 months after leaving nest.