White-headed robin-chat

In 1954, Gerd Heinrich collected bird specimens in Angola, and the specimens were shipped to the Chicago Natural History Museum. Three of the specimens were white-headed robin-chats, and in 1955, Austin L. Rand described them as Cossypha heinrichi.[3] The species is monotypic.[4]

The white-headed robin-chat is 22–23 cm (8.7–9.1 in) long and weighs 56–69 g (2.0–2.4 oz). The head and neck are white.[4] The entirely white head is unique among the African robins.[1] The mantle, back and scapulars are olive-brown, with the back and scapulars being greyer. The rump is rufous-orange. The central tail feathers are black, and the outer feathers are orange-rufous.[4] The flight feathers and wing coverts are blackish brown, with olive-brown edges. The underwing coverts are grey. The underparts are rufous-chestnut or sienna. The beak is black, and the legs are grey or black. The female has a shorter tail than the male.[4] The juvenile bird's head and breast are buffish-brown, and its back has orange-buff spots. It has browner underparts and brownish-grey legs. Juveniles moulting into first-year plumage have been observed in April and November.[4]

In northern Angola, the white-headed robin-chat has only been recorded in two areas,[1] including the type locality about 30 km (19 mi) north of Calandula.[4] In the western Democratic Republic of the Congo, it has been recorded in Bombo-Lumene Forest Reserve and a few nearby sites.[1] In Angola, the bird occurs in the undergrowth of gallery forests at an elevation of 1,250 m (4,100 ft), and it is sometimes found in savannas. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it has been found in isolated patches of thick forest.[1]

The white-headed robin-chat eats insects,[5] foraging for driver ants on the ground and also catching insects in the air.[4] Its song is repeated whistles that begin quietly and then become much louder. A high-pitched whistle has also been recorded.[6] During observations in 2005, playback of its voice caused a "frantic" response.[7] It often fans its tail.[5] Its breeding is not well known. In Angola, observations suggest that the breeding season includes February, October and November.[4] In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it breeds from September to November.[5]

The population size is estimated at 6,000 to 15,000 mature individuals and 10,000 to 19,999 total individuals. The population is probably declining because of habitat loss. In Bombo-Lumene Forest Reserve, the species is threatened by deforestation for charcoal. In Angola, forest clearance and slash-and-burn agriculture threaten it. Because of its small range and threatened habitat, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has assessed the species as vulnerable.[1]