Robins and Chats

Description

This authoritative handbook, part of the Helm Identification Guides series, looks in detail at the world's 170 species of robins and chats. This large family of small passerines was formerly considered to be part of the thrush family (Turdidae), but is now usually treated as a separate family, Muscicapidae, together with the Old World flycatchers. The vast majority of species are Eurasian or African, with only a handful of species straying into the New World or Australasia. The Australian Robins, although superficially similar, have long been regarded as a separate family. Robins and chats are a diverse family comprising both highly colourful and visible species, such as the robin-chats of Africa, as well as some of the most skulking and elusive birds, such as the shortwings of Asia. Many chats, such as the well-known Nightingale, are renowned songsters, and a good number are highly sought-after by world listers for their extreme rarity or simply because they are hard to see. This book discusses the identification and habits of these birds on a species-by-species basis, bringing together the very latest research with accurate range maps, more than 600 stunning colour photographs that illustrate age and racial plumage differences, and 64 superb colour plates by the internationally renowned artist, Chris Rose. This authoritative and sumptuous book will be an essential purchase for all chat enthusiasts, and will become the standard reference on the subject for many years to come. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INTRODUCTION HOW TO USE THIS BOOK: LAYOUT AND SCOPE CHAT SYSTEMATICS – SHAKING THE TREE by Per Alström COLOUR PLATES SPECIES ACCOUNTS Genus Sialia Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides Genus Cochoa Purple Cochoa Cochoa purpurea Green Cochoa Cochoa viridis Javan Cochoa Cochoa azurea Sumatran Cochoa Cochoa beccarii Genus Chlamydochaera Black-breasted Fruithunter Chlamydochaera jefferyi Genera Heteroxenicus, Brachypteryx and Heinrichia Gould’s Shortwing Heteroxenicus stellatus Rusty-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx hyperythra Rufous-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx major White-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx albiventris Lesser Shortwing Brachypteryx leucophris White-browed Shortwing Brachypteryx montana Great Shortwing Heinrichia calligyna Genus Alethe Fire-crested Alethe Alethe castanea White-tailed Alethe Alethe diademata Genus Pseudalethe Red-throated Alethe Pseudalethe poliophrys Brown-chested Alethe Pseudalethe poliocephala White-chested Alethe Pseudalethe fuelleborni Cholo Alethe Pseudalethe choloensis Genus Pogonocichla White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata Genus Swynnertonia Swynnerton’s Robin Swynnertonia swynnertoni Genus Stiphrornis Forest Robin Stiphrornis erythrothorax Genus Sheppardia 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 Rubeho Akalat Sheppardia aurantiithorax Usambara Akalat Sheppardia montana Iringa Akalat Sheppardia lowei Grey-winged Akalat Sheppardia polioptera Genus Erithacus European Robin Erithacus rubecula Genera Luscinia, Larvivora and Calliope Bluethroat Luscinia svecica Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos White-bellied Redstart Luscinia phaenicuroides Japanese Robin Larvivora akahige Ryukyu Robin Larvivora komadori Rufous-headed Robin Larvivora ruficeps Indian Blue Robin Larvivora brunnea Siberian Blue Robin Larvivora cyane Rufous-tailed Robin Larvivora sibilans Siberian Rubythroat Calliope calliope Himalayan Rubythroat Calliope pectoralis Blackthroat Calliope obscura Firethroat Calliope pectardens Genus Tarsiger White-browed Bush Robin Tarsiger indicus Rufous-breasted Bush Robin Tarsiger hyperythrus Collared Bush Robin Tarsiger johnstoniae Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus Himalayan Bluetail Tarsiger rufilatus Golden Bush Robin Tarsiger chrysaeus Genus Irania White-throated Robin Irania gutturalis Genus Cossyphicula White-bellied Robin-Chat Cossyphicula roberti Genus Cossypha Mountain Robin-Chat Cossypha isabellae Archer’s Robin-Chat Cossypha archeri Olive-flanked Robin-Chat Cossypha anomala Cape Robin-Chat Cossypha caffra White-throated Robin-Chat Cossypha humeralis Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat Cossypha cyanocampter Rüppell’s Robin-Chat Cossypha semirufa White-browed Robin-Chat Cossypha heuglini Red-capped Robin-Chat Cossypha natalensis Chorister Robin-Chat Cossypha dichroa White-headed Robin-Chat Cossypha heinrichi Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat Cossypha niveicapilla White-crowned Robin-Chat Cossypha albicapillus Genus Xenocopsychus Angola Cave Chat Xenocopsychus ansorgei Genus Cichladusa Collared Palm Thrush Cichladusa arquata Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush Cichladusa ruficauda Spotted Palm Thrush Cichladusa guttata Genus Cercotrichas Forest Scrub Robin Cercotrichas leucosticta Miombo Scrub Robin Cercotrichas barbata Bearded Scrub Robin Cercotrichas quadrivirgata Brown Scrub Robin Cercotrichas signata Brown-backed Scrub Robin Cercotrichas hartlaubi White-browed Scrub Robin Cercotrichas leucophrys Rufous Scrub Robin Cercotrichas galactotes Kalahari Scrub Robin Cercotrichas paena Karoo Scrub Robin Cercotrichas coryphoeus Black Scrub Robin Cercotrichas podobe Genus Namibornis Herero Chat Namibornis herero Genus Copsychus Madagascar Magpie-Robin Copsychus albospecularis Seychelles Magpie-Robin Copsychus sechellarum Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis Philippine Magpie-Robin Copsychus mindanensis Indian Robin Copsychus fulicatus Genus Kittacincla White-rumped Shama Kittacincla malabarica Visayan Shama Kittacincla superciliaris White-browed Shama Kittacincla luzoniensis White-vented Shama Kittacincla niger Black Shama Kittacincla cebuensis Genus Trichixos Rufous-tailed Shama Trichixos pyrropygus Genus Phoenicurus Przevalski’s Redstart Phoenicurus alaschanicus Eversmann’s Redstart Phoenicurus erythronotus Blue-capped Redstart Phoenicurus coeruleocephala Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus Hodgson’s Redstart Phoenicurus hodgsoni White-throated Redstart Phoenicurus schisticeps Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus Moussier’s Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri Güldenstädt’s Redstart Phoenicurus erythrogastrus Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis Plumbeous Redstart Phoenicurus fuliginosa Luzon Water Redstart Phoenicurus bicolor White-capped Redstart Phoenicurus leucocephalus Genera Myiomela and Cinclidium White-tailed Robin Myiomela leucura Sunda Blue Robin Myiomela diana Blue-fronted Robin Cinclidium frontale Genus Grandala Grandala Grandala coelicolor Genus Enicurus Little Forktail Enicurus scouleri Sunda Forktail Enicurus velatus Chestnut-naped Forktail Enicurus ruficapillus Black-backed Forktail Enicurus immaculatus Slaty-backed Forktail Enicurus schistaceus White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaulti Spotted Forktail Enicurus maculatus Genus Saxicola Whinchat Saxicola rubetra Stoliczka’s Bush Chat Saxicola macrorhynchus Hodgson’s Bush Chat Saxicola insignis Canary Islands Chat Saxicola dacotiae Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus Réunion Stonechat Saxicola tectes White-tailed Stonechat Saxicola leucurus Pied Bush Chat Saxicola caprata Jerdon’s Bush Chat Saxicola jerdoni Grey Bush Chat Saxicola ferreus White-bellied Bush Chat Saxicola gutturalis Genus Campicoloides Buff-streaked Chat Campicoloides bifasciatus Genus Oenanthe Red-rumped Wheatear Oenanthe moesta Capped Wheatear Oenanthe pileata Red-breasted Wheatear Oenanthe bottae Heuglin’s Wheatear Oenanthe heuglini Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe Somali Wheatear Oenanthe phillipsi Kurdistan Wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna Red-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe chrysopygia Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens Abyssinian Wheatear Oenanthe lugubris Arabian Wheatear Oenanthe lugentoides Finsch’s Wheatear Oenanthe finschii Variable Wheatear Oenanthe picata Hume’s Wheatear Oenanthe albonigra White-crowned Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucopyga Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura Hooded Wheatear Oenanthe monacha Genus Cercomela Sickle-winged Chat Cercomela sinuata Karoo Chat Cercomela schlegelii Brown Rock Chat Cercomela fusca Tractrac Chat Cercomela tractrac Familiar Chat Cercomela familiaris Brown-tailed Rock Chat Cercomela scotocerca Sombre Rock Chat Cercomela dubia Blackstart Cercomela melanura Genus Pinarochroa Moorland Chat Pinarochroa sordida Genus Myrmecocichla Congo Moor Chat Myrmecocichla tholloni Northern Anteater Chat Myrmecocichla aethiops Southern Anteater Chat Myrmecocichla formicivora Sooty Chat Myrmecocichla nigra Rüppell’s Black Chat Myrmecocichla melaena White-fronted Black Chat Myrmecocichla albifrons Arnot’s Chat Myrmecocichla arnotti Mountain Chat Myrmecocichla monticola Genus Thamnolaea Mocking Cliff Chat Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris White-winged Cliff Chat Thamnolaea semirufa Genus Pinarornis Boulder Chat Pinarornis plumosus BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX