
Ant-eating Chat
The ant-eating chat or southern anteater-chat (Myrmecocichla formicivora) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae.
Species insights
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Curve from 1,335 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Eastern Cape and beyond
Provinces where Ant-eating Chat is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,334 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Ant-eating Chat
Stays that give back
Across South Africa
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Ant-eating Chat recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Ant-eating Chat recorded here
Ant-eating Chat recorded here
Ant-eating Chat recorded here
Ant-eating Chat recorded here
Ant-eating Chat recorded here
Ant-eating Chat recorded here
Ant-eating Chat recorded here
Ant-eating Chat recorded here
Ant-eating Chat recorded here
Ant-eating Chat recorded here
Birder friendly
Dry mountains, ostriches, and Calitzdorp's port wines
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Ant-eating Chat
Hosts have recorded the Ant-eating Chat at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Where to base yourself
- Northern CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Northern Cape
- Eastern CapeGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
Ways to look
Species
Myrmecocichla formicivora
Records
1,334
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Ant-eating Chat on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Ant-eating Chat in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Ant-eating Chat at stays in or beside Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Ant-eating Chat in South Africa?
The Ant-eating Chat is most recorded in Eastern Cape (27% of records), Northern Cape (20% of records), Gauteng (14% of records), based on 1,334 iNaturalist observations. 18 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Ant-eating Chat on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Ant-eating Chat?
The Ant-eating Chat is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Kwandwe Private Game Reserve: year-round, best Mar-May, Sep-Nov. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Ant-eating Chat?
The ant-eating chat or southern anteater-chat (Myrmecocichla formicivora) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.




























