| Moorland Chat | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Cercomela |
| Species: | C. sordida |
| Binomial name | |
| Cercomela sordida (Ruppell, 1837) |
|
The Moorland Chat (Cercomela sordida), also known as the Alpine Chat or Hill Chat, is a species of songbird in the Old World Flycatcher family. It is endemic to north-east Africa where it is common in its habitat. It lives at high altitudes on moors and grassland, usually above 3,400 m (11,100 ft), but can live as low as 2,100 m (6,900 ft)[1]. It has a short tail and long legs. It is bold and will approach people.
The chat was first discovered on Mount Elgon on the Uganda-Kenya border by Jackson. Mackinder brought back the same bird from Mount Kenya in 1899[2]. He presented a paper on the first ascent to the Royal Geographical Society in 1900. The scientific results of his expedition were discussed in detail afterwards.
A very curious little bird was found by Mr Jackson on Mount Elgon at a height of 11,000 feet, and I remember saying to Mr. Mackinder that he was bound to find the same sort of little chat on Mount Kenya, at a height of 11,000 feet. This he did, and it was the same species as the Mount Elgon bird, an ordinary-looking little brown chat, with a good deal of white in the tail.—Dr Bowdler Sharpe, A Journey to the Summit of Mount Kenya, British East Africa: Discussion[2]