White – Throated – Robin Chat.
A common resident of thickets , riverside scrub in woodlands and savanna also riparian vegetation confined to the North East of South Africa.
They are seen solitary or in pairs flirting their wings and tails . They retire to dense cover where they forage on the ground , moving with quick hops and are most active in the evening . Insects including spiders and centipedes are their main diet but enjoy berries too in season.
These Robins are vocal mostly in the winter months with a song that is a rather short series of rich whistles , their alarm call is a repeated ” seet – cher , seet cher ” and they imitate other bird calls.
Breeding takes place from September to December . The nest is a cup lined with petioles and grass made on a foundation of sticks ,set level with soil on the ground between the roots of trees , under a bank or low branch. Two to three creamy eggs with spots and blotched are laid . Incubation lasts 14 – 15 days and the nestling period is 14 days.
The Afrikaans name is Witkeeljanfrederik .
