The akalats are medium-sized insectivorous birds in the genus Sheppardia. They were formerly placed in the thrush family, Turdidae, but are more often now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher Muscicapidae.
These are African forest-dwelling species.
Species are:
- Bocage's Akalat, Sheppardia bocagei
- Lowland Akalat, Sheppardia cyornithopsis
- Equatorial Akalat, Sheppardia aequatorialis
- Sharpe's Akalat, Sheppardia sharpei
- East Coast Akalat, Sheppardia gunningi
- Gabela Akalat, Sheppardia gabela
- Usambara Akalat, Sheppardia montana
- Iringa Akalat, Sheppardia lowei
