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| − | + | [[Image:Sentinel_Rock_Thrush.jpg|thumb|500px|right|Male Sentinel Rock Thrush<br />Photo © by {{user|GarethH|GarethH}}<br />Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, South Africa]] | |
| − | [[Image:Sentinel_Rock_Thrush.jpg|thumb| | + | ;[[:Category:Monticola|Monticola]] explorator |
| + | |||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| − | + | [[Image:Sentinel_Rock-Thrush_F_GarethH_Suikerbosrand_Jun_2006.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female<br />Photo © by {{user|GarethH|GarethH}}<br />Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, South Africa]] | |
| + | Length 17 cm, mass about 50 g.<br /> | ||
| + | ''Adult male''': The head to upper breast and back is a striking blue-grey, contrasting with a rich orange lower breast and belly. The wings are black and grey. The bill is black and the irises are brown.<br /> | ||
| + | '''Adult female''': Greyish brown with pale mottling above. Throat and breast streaked dark brown on a white to orange background. Belly creamy. | ||
| + | ==Distribution== | ||
| + | Southern and eastern [[South Africa]], [[Lesotho]] and [[Swaziland]]. | ||
| + | ==Taxonomy== | ||
| + | ====Subspecies==== | ||
| + | There are two subspecies:<br /> | ||
| + | *''M. e. explorator'' from most of the range of the species (Western Cape to Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Swaziland) | ||
| + | *''M. e. tenebriformis'' from Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal, darker than the nominate race. | ||
| + | ==Habitat== | ||
| + | Grasslands, heathlands, fynbos and other open habitats, often on rocky slopes. | ||
| + | ==Behaviour== | ||
| + | [[Image:2007_12_28_Imm_Sentinel_Rock_Thrush_5557.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Immature Sentinel Rock Thrush<br />Photo © by {{user|Alan+Manson|Alan Manson}}<br />Sani Pass, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa-Lesotho border.]] | ||
| + | Solitary, in pairs, or in small groups. Fairly active and often perches conspicuously. | ||
| + | ====Diet==== | ||
| + | Forages on the ground (often from a low perch) mainly for insects, but also other invertebrates, seeds and fruit. | ||
| + | ==References== | ||
| + | Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533 | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
| − | + | {{GSearch|Monticola+explorator}} | |
| − | [[Category:Birds]] | + | |
| + | [[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Monticola]] | ||
Latest revision as of 07:04, 13 August 2019
- Monticola explorator
Identification
Length 17 cm, mass about 50 g.
Adult male': The head to upper breast and back is a striking blue-grey, contrasting with a rich orange lower breast and belly. The wings are black and grey. The bill is black and the irises are brown.
Adult female: Greyish brown with pale mottling above. Throat and breast streaked dark brown on a white to orange background. Belly creamy.
Distribution
Southern and eastern South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are two subspecies:
- M. e. explorator from most of the range of the species (Western Cape to Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Swaziland)
- M. e. tenebriformis from Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal, darker than the nominate race.
Habitat
Grasslands, heathlands, fynbos and other open habitats, often on rocky slopes.
Behaviour
Photo © by Alan Manson
Sani Pass, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa-Lesotho border.
Solitary, in pairs, or in small groups. Fairly active and often perches conspicuously.
Diet
Forages on the ground (often from a low perch) mainly for insects, but also other invertebrates, seeds and fruit.
References
Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533
