| Cossypha | |
|---|---|
| |
| Snowy-crowned robin-chat (Cossypha niveicapilla) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Cossypha Vigors, 1825 |
| Type species | |
| Turdus vociferans Swainson, 1823=Muscicapa dichroa Gmelin, 1789 | |
Cossypha is a genus of small insectivorous birds in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. They are African woodland dwelling species, but some have become adapted to sites around human habitation. All have robin-chat in their English name.
Taxonomy
The genus Cossypha was introduced in 1825 by the rish zoologist Nicholas Vigors with Turdus vociferans Swainson, 1823, as the type species.1 This species name is a junior synonym of Muscicapa dichroa Gmelin, 1789, the chorister robin-chat.23 The genus name is from Ancient Greek κοσσυφος/kossuphos meaning "thrush".4
Species
The genus contains the following eight species:5
| Image | Common name | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
White-crowned robin-chat | Cossypha albicapillus | Sudanian savanna |
 |
White-browed robin-chat | Cossypha heuglini | Sub-Saharan Africa (rare in western and southern Africa) |
 |
Chorister robin-chat | Cossypha dichroa | eastern southern Africa |
 |
Rüppell's robin-chat | Cossypha semirufa | eastern Afromontane |
 |
Snowy-crowned robin-chat | Cossypha niveicapilla | northern Sub-Saharan Africa |
 |
Red-capped robin-chat | Cossypha natalensis | central and eastern Sub-Saharan Africa |
| - | White-headed robin-chat | Cossypha heinrichi | northern Angola and western DR Congo |
| - | Blue-shouldered robin-chat | Cossypha cyanocampter | African tropical rainforest |
References
References
- Vigors, Nicholas Aylward (1825). "Sketches in ornithology ; or, observations on the leading affinities of some of the more extensive groups of birds". Zoological Journal. 2: 368-405 [396].
- Mayr, Ernst; Paynter, Raymond A. Jr, eds. (1964). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 10. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 50.
- Dickinson, E.C.; Christidis, L., eds. (2014). The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World (PDF). Vol. 2: Passerines (4th ed.). Eastbourne, UK: Aves Press. p. 595. ISBN 978-0-9568611-2-2.
- Jobling, James A. "Cossypha". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
- AviList Core Team (2025). "AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025". doi:10.2173/avilist.v2025. Retrieved 29 March 2026.