The mocking cliff chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris) presents a striking figure in the avian world. Males boast a glossy black plumage contrasted with a chestnut belly, vent, and rump, and are adorned with white shoulder patches whose size may vary across their range. Females, on the other hand, wear a more subdued dark grey with a chestnut lower breast, belly, and vent. These robust chats measure between 19–21 cm in length and tip the scales at a modest 41–51 grams.
When identifying the mocking cliff chat, look for the male's distinctive white shoulder patches and glossy black feathers, alongside the chestnut underparts. Females can be discerned by their grey plumage with chestnut coloring on the lower regions. Their tail-wagging behavior is also a helpful cue, as they tend to slowly raise it over their backs and fan it out.
This species is a connoisseur of rocky terrains, favoring boulder-strewn areas, wooded ravines, cliffs, gullies, and hillsides. They are also known to frequent watercourses in valley bottoms that are dotted with scattered rocks.
The mocking cliff chat is found in a neat band stretching from central Ethiopia through East Africa into Zimbabwe, southeastern Botswana, southern Mozambique, and eastern South Africa, reaching as far as the far east of Western Cape province.
The mocking cliff chat is primarily insectivorous but has a diverse palate that includes fruit and nectar from plants like the Krantz aloe (Aloe arborescens). They exhibit a foraging technique that involves pouncing on ground prey from a perch and will also glean food from branches and foliage.
