The moorland chat, Cercomela sordida, is a species of Cercomela also known as the Alpine or Hill chat. It is endemic to north-east Africa, and is common in this area. It lives at high altitudes on moors and grassland, usually above 3,400m (11,100ft), but can live as low as 2,100m (6,900ft). It has a short tail and long legs.

The moorland chat is very bold, commonly approaching people, and even landing on or near them.

The alpine chat was first discovered on Mount Elgon on the Uganda-Kenya border by Jackson. Mackinder brought back the same bird from Mount Kenya in 1899. He presented a paper on the first ascent to the The Royal Geographical Society in 1900. The scientific results of his expedition were discussed in detail afterwards.

A very curious little bird was found by Mr. Jackson on Mount Elgon at a height of 11,000 feet, and I remember saying to Mr. Mackinder that he was bound to find the same sort of little chat on Mount Kenya, at a height of 11,000 feet. This he did, and it was the same species as the Mount Elgon bird, an ordinary-looking little brown chat, with a good deal of white in the tail.

"?Dr. Bowdler Sharpe, A Journey to the Summit of Mount Kenya, British East Africa: Discussion