Karoo Scrub Robin (Cercotrichas coryphoeus) [XC395383]
by Tony Archer from Springbok (watertank trail), Northern Cape, South Africa (call)
Karoo Scrub Robin (Cercotrichas coryphoeus) [XC833784]
by Luca Forneris from Karas Region, Namibia (call)
Subspecies
Genus often merged into Cercotrichas. Differs from congeners (and Cercotrichas) in basic egg colour (blue, as opposed to white) and song, and nestling hatches with down feathers (rather than naked), perhaps suggesting that placement in its own monotypic genus may be appropriate. Recently claimed that original, and thus correct, spelling of species name is coryphoeus, but in old publications the two diphthongs are notoriously difficult to distinguish, as in this case. With such uncertainty, it seems best to stick with established usuage.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
coryphoeus (Lesson, 1831) - Southern Namibia, western and central South Africa (east to western Free State and eastern Cape) and western Lesotho.
cinerea (Macdonald, 1952) - South-western western Cape.
abboti (Friedmann, 1932) - Southern Namibia and north-western South Africa.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet