White-throated robin

For the American or African species known by this name, see white-throated thrush and white-throated robin-chat.
White-throated robin
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Irania
Filippi, 1863
Species: I. gutturalis
Binomial name
Irania gutturalis
(Guerin-Meneville, 1843)
Synonyms

Bessornis albigularis

The white-throated robin (Irania gutturalis)[2] 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, family Muscicapidae. It, and similar small European species, are often called chats.

The genus name Irania is from Iran, the type locality, and the specific gutturalis is Medieval Latin for "of the throat".[3]

Description

This species is larger than the European robin, having a length of 16 centimetres (6.3 in) and a wingspan of 28 centimetres (11 in).[4] The breeding male has lead-grey upperparts, a black face with a white throat and supercilium, and orange underparts. The tail is black, as is the strong bill. The male's song is a fast twittering given from a bush or in flight. The call of this species is a chis-it like pied wagtail. Females are plainer, mainly grey apart from a black tail, hints of orange on the flanks, and some white throat streaks.

It is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in south west Asia from Turkey to Afghanistan and wintering in east Africa. This species is a very rare vagrant to Europe. It will also eat fruit during the autumn.[4]

It breeds in dry rocky slopes with some bushes, often at some altitude. The white-throated robin nests in a shrub, laying 4-5 eggs.

Male Saudi Arabia 1993

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Irania gutturalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  2. ↑ ITIS.gov
  3. ↑ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London, United Kingdom: Christopher Helm. pp. 182, 207. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  4. 1 2 BirdFacts British Trust for Ornithology
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