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Chat (bird)
Encyclopedia
- This article is about the Old World chats; see below for other birds called "chats".
Chats (formerly sometimes known as "Chat-thrushes") are a group of small Old World
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
insectivorous bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s formerly classed as members of the thrush
Thrush (bird)
The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...
family Turdidae, but now considered Old World flycatcher
Old World flycatcher
The Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae is a large family of small passerine birds mostly restricted to the Old World. These are mainly small arboreal insectivores, many of which, as the name implies, take their prey on the wing.-Characteristics:...
s.
This name is normally applied to the robust ground-feeding flycatchers found in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
; these make up most of the subfamily Saxicolinae. There are a large number of genera. Most northern species are strong migrants
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
.
Other songbirds called "chats" are:
- Australian chats, genera Ashbyia and EpthianuraEpthianuraEpthianura is a genus of bird also known as the Australian chats. Along with the Gibberbird in the genus Ashbyia they were once thought to constitute a separate family, the Epthianuridae, although most taxonomists today treat them as a subfamily, Epthianurinae, of the honeyeater family...
of the honeyeater family (Meliphagidae). They belong to a more ancient lineage than Saxicolinae. - American chats, genus GranatellusGranatellusGranatellus is a genus of bird previously placed in the family Parulidae, although biochemical evidence suggests it belongs in Cardinalidae., a move followed by the American Ornithologists' Union in 2009.-Species:...
of the cardinal family (Cardinalidae), formerly placed in the wood-warbler family. They belong to a more modern lineage than Saxicolinae. - Yellow-breasted ChatYellow-breasted ChatThe Yellow-breasted Chat is a large songbird, formerly considered the most atypical member of the New World warbler family, though the long-standing suspicion is that it does not actually belong there. Its placement is not definitely resolved. It is the only member of the genus Icteria...
(Icteria virens), an enigmatic North American songbird tentatively placed in the wood-warbler family (Parulidae); its true relationships are unresolved.
Species in taxonomic order
- Subfamily Saxicolinae
- Genus TarsigerTarsigerTarsiger is a genus of six species of birds in the family Muscicapidae. They are small, mostly brightly coloured insectivorous birds native to Asia and northeastern Europe; four of the six species are confined to the Sino-Himalayan mountain system...
- bush-robins- Red-flanked BluetailRed-flanked BluetailThe Red-flanked Bluetail , also known as the Orange-flanked Bush-robin, is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae...
or Orange-flanked Bush-robin,
- Red-flanked Bluetail
- Golden Bush-robinGolden Bush-robinThe Golden Bush-robin is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam.Its natural habitat is temperate forests.-References:...
, Tarsiger chrysaeus - White-browed Bush-robinWhite-browed Bush-robinThe White-browed Bush-robin is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, and Vietnam.Its natural habitat is temperate forests.-References:...
, Tarsiger indicus - Rufous-breasted Bush-robinRufous-breasted Bush-robinThe Rufous-breasted Bush-robin is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.Its natural habitat is temperate forests.-References:...
, Tarsiger hyperythrus - Collared Bush-robinCollared Bush-robinThe Collared Bush-robin is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in China and Taiwan.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 27 July 2007....
, Tarsiger johnstoniae
- Genus Tarsiger
- Genus LusciniaLusciniaLuscinia is a genus of smallish passerine birds, containing the nightingales and relatives. Formerly classed as members of the thrush family Turdidae, they are now considered to be Old World flycatchers of the chat subfamily...
(11 species) - paraphyletic - Genus ErithacusErithacusThe robins are small passerine birds comprising the genus Erithacus. They were formerly classed as members of the thrush family, but now considered to be Old World flycatchers of the chat subfamily ....
(3-4 species) - paraphyletic - Genus Irania - White-throated Robin
- Genus SaxicolaSaxicolaThe genus Saxicola , the stonechats or chats, is a genus of 15 species of small passerine birds restricted to the Old World...
- bushchats and stonechats (c.15 species) - Genus Pogonocichla
- White-starred RobinWhite-starred RobinThe White-starred Robin is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher and chat family Muscicapidae. It is also sometimes more simply called the Starred Robin. It is monotypic within the genus Pogonocichla. There are around twelve subspecies. The species is found in East and Southern Africa...
, Pogonocichla stellata
- White-starred Robin
- Genus Swynnertonia
- Swynnerton's RobinSwynnerton's RobinSwynnerton's Robin is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Swynnertonia.It is found in Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe....
,
- Swynnerton's Robin
- Angola Cave-chatAngola Cave-chatThe Angola Cave-chat is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. Its genus Xenocopsychus is monotypic.It is endemic to Angola. Its natural habitat is moist savanna, and it is somewhat rare due to habitat loss....
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- White-tailed RobinWhite-tailed RobinThe White-tailed Robin is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam...
, Cinclidium leucurum - Sunda RobinSunda RobinThe Sunda Robin is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family. It is endemic to Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 25 July 2007....
, Cinclidium diana - Blue-fronted RobinBlue-fronted RobinThe Blue-fronted Robin is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and possibly Nepal....
, Cinclidium frontale
Grandala
The Grandala is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 26 July 2007....
- GrandalaGrandalaThe Grandala is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 26 July 2007....
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- Herero ChatHerero ChatThe Herero Chat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Namibornis. It is found in Angola and Namibia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:...
, Namibornis herero
Cercomela
Cercomela is a genus of small passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It comprises nine species of chats.- Overview :These are typically birds of open dry habitats such as open scrub, stony or rocky areas and short grassland...
- Sickle-winged ChatSickle-winged ChatThe Sickle-winged Chat, Cercomela sinuata, is a small passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae endemic to southern Africa. It is a common resident breeder in South Africa and Lesotho, and is also found in southernmost areas of Botswana and Namibia. Its habitat is Karoo...
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Karoo Chat
The Karoo Chat, Cercomela schlegelii, is a small passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is a common resident breeder in southwesternmost Angola, western Namibia and western South Africa...
, Cercomela schlegelii
Tractrac Chat
The Tractrac Chat, Cercomela tractrac, is a small passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is a common resident breeder in southernmost Angola, western Namibia and western South Africa....
, Cercomela tractrac
Familiar Chat
The Familiar Chat, Cercomela familiaris, is a small passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is a common resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara in rocky and mountainous habitat and around human habitation.-Description:...
, Cercomela familiaris
Brown-tailed Chat
The Brown-tailed Rock Chat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda....
, Cercomela scotocerca
Sombre Chat
The Sombre Rock Chat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Ethiopia and Somalia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:...
, Cercomela dubia
Blackstart
The Blackstart, Cercomela melanura, is a chat found in desert regions in North Africa, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula.It is a 14–16 cm long bird named for its black tail, which is frequently fanned; the rest of its plumage is bluish-grey or grey-brown...
, Cercomela melanura
Moorland Chat
The Moorland Chat , also known as the Alpine Chat or Hill Chat, is a species of songbird in the Old World Flycatcher family. It is endemic to north-east Africa where it is common in its habitat. It lives at high altitudes on moors and grassland, usually above 3,400 m , but can live as low as...
, Cercomela sordida
Myrmecocichla
Myrmecocichla is a genus of bird in the Muscicapidae family. Thamnolaea is a synonym. It contains the following species:* Anteater Chat...
- Congo Moorchat, Myrmecocichla tholloni
- Northern Anteater-chatNorthern Anteater-chatThe Anteater Chat or Northern Anteater-chat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Gambia, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, and Tanzania...
, Myrmecocichla aethiops - Southern Anteater-chatSouthern Anteater-chatThe Ant-eating Chat or Southern Anteater-chat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe....
, Myrmecocichla formicivora - Sooty ChatSooty ChatThe Sooty Chat is an African songbird of the chat subfamily.It is 15 to 16 cm long, stocky and relatively short-tailed for a chat. The adult male's plumage is glossy black except for white patches on the upper wings that are usually visible or only partly concealed when the bird is at rest...
, Myrmecocichla nigra - Rueppell's ChatRueppell's ChatRüppell's Black Chat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family. It is found in Eritrea and Ethiopia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 26 July 2007....
, Myrmecocichla melaena - White-fronted Black-chatWhite-fronted Black-chatThe White-fronted Black Chat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria,...
, Myrmecocichla albifrons - White-headed Black-chatWhite-headed Black-chatArnot's Chat, also called the White-headed Black-chat, is a species of bird in the chat and flycatcher family Muscicapidae.The species is found in southern Africa from Tanzania and Angola to South Africa.-Taxonomy:...
, Myrmecocichla arnotti
- Mocking Cliff-chatMocking Cliff-chatThe Mocking Cliff Chat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania,...
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White-winged Cliff-chat
The White-winged Cliff-chat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family. It is found in rocky wooded gorges, among boulders and in road cuttings within the Ethiopian highlands....
, Thamnolaea semirufa
- Boulder ChatBoulder ChatThe Boulder Chat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Pinarornis. It is found in Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, where its natural habitat is dry savanna....
Pinarornis plumosus
Saxicolinae genera not usually called "chats" are:
- Genus Sheppardia - akalatAkalatThe 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 family Muscicapidae....
s (9 species) - Genus Cossyphicula - White-bellied Robin-chat - may belong in Cossypha
- Genus Cossypha - robin-chatRobin-chatThe robin-chats are small insectivorous birds in the genera Cossyphicula and Cossypha. They were formerly in the thrush family Turdidae, but are now more often treated as part of the Old World flycatcher Muscicapidae....
s (14 species) - Genus Cichladusa - palm-thrushPalm-thrushThe palm-thrushes are medium-sized insectivorous birds in the genus Cichladusa. They were formerly in the thrush family Turdidae, but are more often now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher Muscicapidae....
es (3 species) - Genus Cercotrichas - scrub-robinScrub-robinThe scrub robins or bush chats are medium-sized insectivorous birds in the genus Cercotrichas. They were formerly in the thrush family , but are more often now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher family...
s or bush-chats (11 species) - Genus Copsychus - magpie-robinMagpie-robinThe magpie-robins or shamas are medium-sized insectivorous birds in the genera Copsychus and Trichixos...
s or shamas (7 species) - Genus PhoenicurusPhoenicurusPhoenicurus is a genus of eleven species of birds in the family Muscicapidae, native to Europe, Asia and Africa. Along with three other closely related genera, they are named redstarts from their orange-red tails...
- true redstartRedstartRedstarts are a group of small Old World birds. They were formerly classified in the thrush family , but are now known to be part of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae...
s (11 species) - Genus Enicurus - forktailForktailThe forktails are small insectivorous birds in the genus Enicurus. They were formerly in the thrush family Turdidae, but are more often now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. Their name derives from their long forked tail....
s (7 species) - Genus CochoaCochoaThe cochoas are medium-sized frugivorous, insectivorous and molluscivorous birds in the genus Cochoa...
- cochoaCochoaThe cochoas are medium-sized frugivorous, insectivorous and molluscivorous birds in the genus Cochoa...
s (4 species) - Genus Oenanthe - wheatearWheatearThe wheatears are passerine birds of the genus Oenanthe. They were formerly considered to be members of the thrush family Turdidae, but are now more commonly placed in the flycatcher family Muscicapidae...
s (some 20 species) - Genus Trichixos - Rufous-tailed Shama
Aberrant
Aberrant
Aberrant is a role-playing game created by White Wolf Game Studio in 1999, set in 2008 in a world where super-powered humans started appearing one day in 1998. It is the middle setting in the greater Trinity Universe timeline, chronologically situated about 90 years after Adventure!, White Wolf's...
redstart
Redstart
Redstarts are a group of small Old World birds. They were formerly classified in the thrush family , but are now known to be part of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae...
s, possibly belonging in this subfamily:
- Genus Chaimarrornis - White-capped Redstart
- Genus RhyacornisRhyacornisRhyacornis is a genus of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It contains the following species:* Luzon Water-redstart * Plumbeous Water-redstart...
(2 species) - Genus Hodgsonius - White-bellied Redstart