Chinspot Batis ( Batis molitor, family: Malaconotidae)

Chinspot batis kruger national park.gif The Chinspot Batis (Latin name Batis molitor) is described in Roberts Birds of Southern Africa, 7th Edition. This bird has a unique Roberts number of 701 and you will find a full description of this bird on page 716 also a picture of the Chinspot Batis on page 720. The Chinspot Batis belongs to the family of birds classified as Malaconotidae. According to the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology the Chinspot Batis is also known by these other names: White-flanked Batis, White-flanked Flycatcher, Chinspot Flycatcher, Chinspot Puff-back Flycatcher.

The Chinspot Batis (female shown in picture) is neither Endemic or near Endemic to the Kruger National Park. It is however a common resident. You can see it all over the Park.

The Chinspot Batis is a small bird about the size of a house sparrow. Do not take this relative indicator as anything other than a rough easy to remember indicator. It is not a accurate visualization. The height of the Chinspot Batis is about 13 cms and its weight is about 12 gms

Chinspot Batis Kruger ParkYou will find that the male Chinspot Batis plumage and colours are different to that of the female Chinspot Batis (the female has a rufous brown splash on the upper breast as well as on the neck)

  • Head is grey.
  • Eye is orange.
  • Bill is black.
  • Throat is white.
  • Back is grey.
  • Legs are black.

This bird has normally proportioned leg length.

The Chinspot Batis feeds in tree and shrub foliage mainly on invertebrates.

Breeding and nesting habits for this bird ...

The Chinspot Batis is monogamous unless its mate dies. In the event of a partner dying Batis molitor will seek out a new mate

The nesting habit of Chinspot Batis is to create the nest in branches of a tree or shrub. The bird lays eggs which are brown in colour and number between 1 to 4

Habitat and flocking behaviour for this bird ...

The preferred habitats for Chinspot Batis are: woodlands

You will normally see the Chinspot Batis in pairs or small flocks.

Names of this avian species in other languages ...

Xhosa ... Undyola/Unondyola

Zulu ... umNqube

Afrikaans ...Witliesbosbontrokkie

German ... Weiflankenschnpper

Portuguese ... Batis-comum

French ... Pririt molitor

Dutch ... Witflank-Vliegenvanger

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For in-depth birding information please refer to these authoritative avian references ...

Robert's 7th edition number ... 701

The main reference source for this data was "Roberts - Birds of Southern Africa, 7th Edition" . Other references were "Newmans Birds of the Kruger Park" by Keith Newman published circa 1980 . Names in foreign languages were obtained from the Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town website , www.fitzpatrick.uct.ac.za