The white-winged cliff chat (Monticola semirufus) is a species of passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found in rocky wooded gorges, among boulders and in road cuttings within the Ethiopian Highlands.
| White-winged cliff chat | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Two males in Ethiopia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Monticola |
| Species: | M. semirufus |
| Binomial name | |
| Monticola semirufus (Rüppell, 1837) | |
| Synonyms | |
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This species was formerly placed in the genus Thamnolaea but was moved to Monticola based on the results of a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010.[2][3]
Length 19–21 cm. The male has a striking chestnut belly which the female lacks. Juvenile is spotted buff above and below. Both sexes show striking white secondaries in flight. The white patches in the primaries are diagnostic of this species.
References
- Sinclair, Ian & Ryan, Peter (2003) Birds of Africa south of the Sahara, Struik, Cape Town.