Cossypha is a genus of small insectivorous birds in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. They are African woodland dwelling species, but some have become adapted to sites around human habitation. All have robin-chat in their English name.
Taxonomy The genus Cossypha was introduced in 1825 by the rish zoologist Nicholas Vigors with Turdus vociferans Swainson, 1823, as the type species. This species name is a junior synonym of Muscicapa dichroa Gmelin, 1789, the chorister robin-chat. The genus name is from Ancient Greek κοσσυφος/kossuphos meaning "thrush".
Species The genus contains the following eight species:
Image Common name Scientific name Distribution White-crowned robin-chat Cossypha albicapillus Sudanian savanna White-browed robin-chat Cossypha heuglini Sub-Saharan Africa (rare in western and southern Africa) Chorister robin-chat Cossypha dichroa eastern southern Africa Rüppell's robin-chat Cossypha semirufa eastern Afromontane Snowy-crowned robin-chat Cossypha niveicapilla northern Sub-Saharan Africa Red-capped robin-chat Cossypha natalensis central and eastern Sub-Saharan Africa - White-headed robin-chat Cossypha heinrichi northern Angola and western DR Congo - Blue-shouldered robin-chat Cossypha cyanocampter African tropical rainforest
References