Whinchat

Whinchat

Taxobox
name = Whinchat
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1


image_caption = Male Whinchat
image_width = 204px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Muscicapidae
genus = "Saxicola"
species = "S. rubetra"
binomial = "Saxicola rubetra"
binomial_authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)

The Whinchat, "Saxicola rubetra" [Etymology: "Saxicola", "rock-dweller", from Latin "saxum", a rock + "incola", one who dwells someplace. "rubetra", Latin for "colored reddish" or "reddish-hued".] ,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. It, and similar small European species, are often called chats.

It is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in open rough pasture or similar uncultivated grassland in Europe and Asia. It nests in tussocks. All birds winter in Africa.

The Whinchat is similar in size to the European Robin. Both sexes have a yellowish rump and white tail, with a black terminal band. The summer male has brownish upperparts, buff throat and blackish head sides. It has a strong white supercilium. There are white wing patches.

The female has pale brown head sides, a buff supercilium and no white wing patches.

The male has a whistling, crackly song. Its call is a typical chat “chack” noise or a soft whistle.

Bracken is a preferred habitat for this species.

This species represents a fairly basal divergence of the genus "Saxicola" (Wink "et al." 2002).

References

* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

* Wink, M.; Sauer-Gürth, H. & Gwinner, E. (2002): Evolutionary relationships of stonechats and related species inferred from mitochondrial-DNA sequences and genomic fingerprinting. "British Birds" 95: 349-355. [http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/institute/fak14/ipmb/phazb/pubwink/2002/28.2002.pdf PDF fulltext]

External links

* [http://www.ibercajalav.net/img/333_WhinchatSrubetra.pdf Ageing and sexing (PDF) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta]
* [http://www.bsc-eoc.org/avibase/species.jsp?lang=EN&id=750BE0529824FFF0&ts=1221593408463&sec=summary Avibase]

Footnotes


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Whinchat — Whin chat , n. [So called because it frequents whins.] (Zo[ o]l.) A small warbler ({Pratincola rubetra}) common in Europe; called also {whinchacker}, {whincheck}, {whin clocharet}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • whinchat — ► NOUN ▪ a small songbird related to the stonechat, with a brown back and orange buff underparts …   English terms dictionary

  • whinchat — [hwin′chat΄, win′chat΄] n. [ WHIN1 + CHAT1, n.] a brown and buff migrating European thrush (Saxicola rubetra) that frequents heaths and meadows …   English World dictionary

  • whinchat — Chat Chat, n. 1. Light, familiar talk; conversation; gossip. [1913 Webster] Snuff, or fan, supply each pause of chat, With singing, laughing, ogling, and all that. Pope. [1913 Webster] 2. (Zo[ o]l.) A bird of the genus {Icteria}, allied to the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Whinchat — kiauliukė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Saxicola rubetra angl. Whinchat vok. Braunkehlchen …   Paukščių anatomijos terminai

  • whinchat — paprastoji kiauliukė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Saxicola rubetra angl. whinchat vok. Braunkehlchen, n rus. луговой чекан, m pranc. tarier des prés, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – tikrosios kiauliukės sinonimas –… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • whinchat — noun Etymology: whin Date: 1678 a small brown and buff European singing bird (Saxicola rubetra) of grassy meadows …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • whinchat — /hwin chat , win /, n. a small Old World thrush, Saxicola rubetra, having a buff colored breast and white streaks in the tail. [1670 80; WHIN + CHAT] * * * ▪ bird       (Saxicola rubetra), Eurasian thrush named for its habitat: swampy meadows,… …   Universalium

  • whinchat — noun A small Old World songbird, Saxicola rubetra, that feeds on insects …   Wiktionary

  • whinchat — n. species of small European thrush (type of bird) …   English contemporary dictionary

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