Brown Scrub Robin (Cercotrichas signata) [XC323553]
by Tim Cockcroft from Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa (alarm call)
Brown Scrub Robin (Cercotrichas signata) [XC518651]
by Tim Cockcroft from Cape Vidal, Isimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa (song)
Subspecies
Genus often merged into Cercotrichas. Has been thought to form a superspecies with Forest Scrub-Robin (Tychaedon leucosticta), Bearded Scrub-Robin (Tychaedon quadrivirgata) and Miombo Scrub-Robin (Tychaedon barbata), and all recently separated by some authors in genus Tychaedon. Subspecies tongensis fairly distinctive in size, plumage and voice and possibly represents a separate species. There is one record of apparent hybrization with Bearded Scrub-Robin (Tychaedon quadrivirgata).
Proposed subspecies oatleyi (known only from type locality, in north-eastern Northern Province) synonymized with nominate.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
signata (Sundevall, 1850) - Eastern South Africa (eastern northern Province south to eastern Cape).
tongensis (Roberts, 1931) - Southern Mozambique and coastal KwaZulu-Natal.