Brown rock chat

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Brown rock chat
Brown rock chat (Oenanthe fusca).jpg
Bateshwar Temples, Uttar Pradesh
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Oenanthe
Species:
O. fusca
Binomial name
Oenanthe fusca
(Blyth, 1851)
Synonyms

Cercomela fusca

The brown rock chat (Oenanthe fusca) or Indian chat is a bird species of the family Muscicapidae. It is found mainly in northern and central India. It is often found on old buildings and rocky areas. It resembles a female Indian robin but lacks the reddish vent and differs in posture and behaviour apart from being larger. In flight it bears some resemblance to thrushes and redstarts. It feeds on insects, captured mainly on the ground. It was formerly placed as the sole species in the genus Cercomela but is now included with the wheatears in the genus Oenanthe.

Contents

Taxonomy and systematics

 
 
The close relatives of the brown rock chat. [2]

The species was described by Edward Blyth in 1851 under the binomial name Saxicola fusca based on a specimen from Mathura ("Muttra" in original). [3] It is considered to be monotypic although Walter Koelz suggested a new subspecies ruinarum in 1939 based on a specimen from Bhopal. [4] [5] It was the only species of Cercomela found outside Africa and its placement was questioned in the past. [6] Molecular phylogenetic studies in 2010 and 2012 found that the genus Cercomela was polyphyletic, with five species, including the brown rock chat, nested within the genus Oenanthe . [2] [7] As part of a reorganization of the species to create monophyletic genera, the brown rock chat was assigned to the genus Oenanthe. [8] [9]

In central India, the local name of Shama has been noted. [10]

Description

Brown rock chats are often found near human habitation. Brown indian bird k.jpg
Brown rock chats are often found near human habitation.

The brown rock chat is about 17 cm long, larger than the somewhat similar-looking Indian robin. It is uniformly rufous brown with the wings and tail of a slightly darker shade. The brown on the undersides grades into a dark grey-brown vent. [11] The beak is slender and is slightly curved at the tip. The second primary is the longest and the tail is rounded. In flight it resembles a female blue rock thrush. The sexes are indistinguishable in the field.

Distribution and habitat

The species is nearly endemic to India, distributed north of the Narmada, west to Gujarat (mainly Kutch but extending south [12] ) and east to Bengal bordered on the north by the Himalayas where it is found up to about 1300 m in the foothills. Its distribution extends into northern Pakistan west to the Chenab River. Although largely resident, some populations make movements in response to weather. In the foothills of the Himalayas it moves higher up in summer, appearing in Dehra Dun in spring and leaving before the onset of winter. The species has been seen in Nepal. It is a common species although very patchily distributed. [13]

It usually found singly or in pairs on old buildings or rocky areas.

Behavior

Diet and feeding

The brown rock chat feeds mainly on insects, picked off the ground. [13] [14] They have been known to feed late and forage on insects attracted to artificial lighting. [15] When feeding on the ground it sometimes flicks open its wings and tail. It also has a habit of slowly raising its tail slightly, fanning it and bobbing its head.

Vocalizations

Brown rock chats have a wide repertoire of calls. Nearly eight different kinds of calls have been noted, including territorial calls, begging calls, feeding calls, alarm calls, threat calls, contact calls, distress calls, roosting calls and emergence calls. [16] The most common call is a short whistled chee delivered with a rapid bob and stretch, and the alarm call is a harsh chek-check.

The song is thrush-like with a number of notes, often including imitations of the calls and songs of other bird species including the yellow-eyed babbler, black-winged cuckooshrike and Tickell's blue flycatcher. [13]

Breeding

The breeding season extends from spring to summer and more than one brood is raised. The nest is a cup of grass, hair and clods placed in a ledge in a roadside cutting, wall or window, sometimes even on occupied houses. The foundation of the nest is made up of pebbles and clay. [17] [18] The nests are guarded against intruders and the parents will chase palm squirrels and other birds that approach too close. The usual clutch is three to four pale blue eggs which are incubated by the female alone. The young leave the nest about two weeks after hatching. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chat (bird)</span> Subfamily of birds

Chats are a group of small Old World insectivorous birds formerly classified as members of the thrush family (Turdidae), but following genetic DNA analysis, are now considered to belong to the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapidae).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheatear</span> Genus of birds

The 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. This is an Old World group, but the northern wheatear has established a foothold in eastern Canada and Greenland and in western Canada and Alaska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black wheatear</span> Species of bird

The black wheatear is a wheatear, a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found in southern Spain and western North Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian robin</span> Species of bird

The Indian robin is a species of passarine bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is widespread in the Indian subcontinent and ranges across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The males of the northern subspecies have brown backs whose extent gradually reduces southwards, with the males of the southern subspecies having all-black backs. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up and the chestnut undertail coverts and dark body make them easily distinguishable from pied bushchats and Oriental magpie-robins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian blue robin</span> Species of bird

The Indian blue robin is a small bird found in the Indian Subcontinent. Formerly considered a thrush, it is now considered one of the Old World flycatchers in the family Muscicapidae. It was earlier also called the Indian blue chat. It is migratory, breeding in the forests along the Himalayas of Nepal, India, Myanmar and Bangladesh. They winter in the hill forests of the Western Ghats of India and in Sri Lanka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hooded wheatear</span> Species of bird

The hooded wheatear is a wheatear, a small insectivorous passerine 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackstart</span> Species of bird

The blackstart is a chat found in desert regions in North Africa, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula. It is resident throughout its range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain wheatear</span> Species of bird

The mountain wheatear or mountain chat is a small insectivorous passerine bird that is endemic to southwestern Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Familiar chat</span> Species of bird

The familiar chat 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tractrac chat</span> Species of bird

The tractrac chat 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karoo chat</span> Species of bird

The Karoo chat 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. Its habitat is Karoo and desert scrub in the south, extending to the escarpment zone in the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sickle-winged chat</span> Species of bird

The sickle-winged chat or sicklewing chat 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 scrub, short grassland, and barren sandy or stony areas. In western coastal areas, it also occurs on agricultural land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moorland chat</span> Species of bird

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 (11,100 ft), but can live as low as 2,100 m (6,900 ft). It has a short tail and long legs. It is bold and will approach people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nilgiri blue robin</span> Species of bird

The Nilgiri blue robin, also known as Nilgiri shortwing, white-bellied shortwing, Nilgiri sholakili or rufous-bellied shortwing is a species of passerine bird in the family Muscicapidae endemic to the Shola forests of the higher hills of southern India, mainly north of the Palghat Gap. This small bird is found on the forest floor and undergrowth of dense forest patches sheltered in the valleys of montane grassland, a restricted and threatened habitat.

The sombre rock chat is a species of passerine bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Ethiopia and Somalia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

The brown-tailed rock chat is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purple cochoa</span> Species of bird

The purple cochoa is a brightly coloured bird found in the temperate forests of Asia. It is a quiet and elusive bird species that has been considered to be related to the thrushes of family Turdidae or the related Muscicapidae. They are found in dark forested areas and is found in the canopy, where it often sits motionless.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green cochoa</span> Species of bird

The green cochoa is a bird species that was variously placed with the thrushes of family Turdidae or the related Muscicapidae. It is considered closer to the former.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-fronted black chat</span> Species of bird

The white-fronted black chat is a species of passerine bird in the family Muscicapidae. 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, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are moist savanna and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

<i>Emarginata</i> (bird) Genus of birds

Emarginata is a genus of birds in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that occur in southern Africa.

References

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  2. 1 2 Outlaw, R.K.; Voelker, G.; Bowie, R.C.K. (2010). "Shall we chat? Evolutionary relationships in the genus Cercomela (Muscicapidae) and its relation to Oenanthe reveals extensive polyphyly among chats distributed in Africa, India and the Palearctic". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 55 (1): 284–292. Bibcode:2010MolPE..55..284O. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2009.09.023. PMID   19772925.
  3. Blythe, Edward (1851). "Notice of a collection of mammalia, birds, and reptiles procured at or near the station of Chérra Punji in the Khásia Hills, north of Sylhet". Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 20: 523.
  4. Koelz, W (1939). "New birds from Asia, chiefly from India". Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 52: 61–82 [66].
  5. Deignan, H.G.; R.A. Paynter Jr. & S. D. Ripley (1964). Check-list of birds of the world. Volume 10. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology.
  6. Oates, EW (1890). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Birds. Volume 2. London: Taylor and Francis. pp. 79–80.
  7. Aliabadian, M.; Kaboli, M.; Förschler, M.I.; Nijman, V.; Chamani, A.; Tillier, A.; Prodon, R.; Pasquet, E.; Ericson, P.G.P.; Zuccon, D. (2012). "Convergent evolution of morphological and ecological traits in the open-habitat chat complex (Aves, Muscicapidae: Saxicolinae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 65 (1): 35–45. Bibcode:2012MolPE..65...35A. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2012.05.011. PMID   22634240.
  8. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2016). "Chats, Old World flycatchers". World Bird List Version 6.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  9. Alaei Kakhki, Niloofar; Aliabadian, Mansour; Schweizer, Manuel (2016). "Out of Africa: Biogeographic history of the open-habitat chats (Aves, Muscicapidae: Saxicolinae) across arid areas of the old world". Zoologica Scripta. 45 (3): 237. doi:10.1111/zsc.12151. S2CID   85657033.
  10. Baker, ECS (1924). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Birds. Volume 2 (2nd ed.). London: Taylor and Francis. pp. 54–55.
  11. Rasmussen PC & JC Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Volume 2. Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions. p. 408.
  12. Khacher, Lavkumar (2000). "Brown Rock Chat Cercomela fusca: extension of range into Gujarat". Newsletter for Birdwatchers . 40 (3): 41.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Ali, Salim; Sidney Dillon Ripley (1998). Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. Volume 9 (2nd ed.). New Delhi: Oxford University Press. pp. 21–22.
  14. Donahue, J.P. (1962). "Field identification of the Brown Rock Chat". Newsletter for Birdwatchers . 2 (10): 5–6.
  15. Singh, P. (2009). "Unusual nocturnal feeding by Brown Rock-chat Cercomela fusca (Passeriformes: Muscicapidae) in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India". Journal of Threatened Taxa. 1 (4): 251. doi: 10.11609/JoTT.o1852.251 .
  16. Sethi, V.K.; Bhatt, D. (2008). "Call repertoire of an endemic avian species, the Indian chat Cercomela fusca" (PDF). Current Science. 94 (9): 1173–1179.
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  18. Mathews, W.H. (1919). "Nesting habits of the Brown Rockchat Cercomela fusca". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 26 (3): 843–844.