Chat (Bird) Information
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Chats (formerly sometimes known as "Chat-thrushes") are a group of small Old World insectivorous birds formerly considered Old World flycatchers.
This name is normally applied to the robust ground-feeding flycatchers found in Europe and Asia; these make up most of the subfamily Saxicolinae. There are a large number of genera. Most northern species are strong migrants.
Other songbirds called "chats" are:
- Australian chats, genera Ashbyia and Epthianura of the honeyeater family (Meliphagidae). They belong to a more ancient lineage than Saxicolinae.
- American chats, genus Granatellus of the cardinal family (Cardinalidae), formerly placed in the wood-warbler family. They belong to a more modern lineage than Saxicolinae.
- Yellow-breasted Chat (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 Tarsiger - bush-robins
- Red-flanked Bluetail or Orange-flanked Bush-robin, Tarsiger cyanurus
- Golden Bush-robin, Tarsiger chrysaeus
- White-browed Bush-robin, Tarsiger indicus
- Rufous-breasted Bush-robin, Tarsiger hyperythrus
- Collared Bush-robin, Tarsiger johnstoniae
- Genus Luscinia (11 species) - paraphyletic
- Genus Erithacus (3-4 species) - paraphyletic
- Genus Irania - White-throated Robin
- Genus Saxicola - bushchats and stonechats (c.15 species)
- Genus Pogonocichla
- White-starred Robin, Pogonocichla stellata
- Genus Swynnertonia
- Swynnerton's Robin, Swynnertonia swynnertoni
- Genus Stiphrornis - forest robins (1-5 species, depending on taxonomy)
- Genus Xenocopsychus
- Angola Cave-chat, Xenocopsychus ansorgei
- Genus Saxicoloides - Indian Robin
- Genus Cinclidium
- White-tailed Robin, Cinclidium leucurum
- Sunda Robin, Cinclidium diana
- Blue-fronted Robin, Cinclidium frontale
- Genus Grandala
- Grandala, Grandala coelicolor
- Genus Namibornis
- Herero Chat, Namibornis herero
- Genus Cercomela
- Sickle-winged Chat, Cercomela sinuata
- Karoo Chat, Cercomela schlegelii
- Tractrac Chat, Cercomela tractrac
- Familiar Chat, Cercomela familiaris
- Brown-tailed Chat, Cercomela scotocerca
- Indian Chat, Cercomela fusca
- Sombre Chat, Cercomela dubia
- Blackstart, Cercomela melanura
- Moorland Chat, Cercomela sordida
- Genus Myrmecocichla
- Congo Moorchat, Myrmecocichla tholloni
- Northern Anteater-chat, Myrmecocichla aethiops
- Southern Anteater-chat, Myrmecocichla formicivora
- Sooty Chat, Myrmecocichla nigra
- Rueppell's Chat, Myrmecocichla melaena
- White-fronted Black-chat, Myrmecocichla albifrons
- White-headed Black-chat, Myrmecocichla arnotti
- Genus Thamnolaea - cliff chats
- Mocking Cliff-chat, Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris
- White-winged Cliff-chat, Thamnolaea semirufa
- Genus Pinarornis
- Boulder Chat Pinarornis plumosus
- Genus Tarsiger - bush-robins
Saxicolinae genera not usually called "chats" are:
- Genus Sheppardia - akalats (9 species)
- Genus Cossyphicula - White-bellied Robin-chat - may belong in Cossypha
- Genus Cossypha - robin-chats (14 species)
- Genus Cichladusa - palm-thrushes (3 species)
- Genus Cercotrichas - scrub-robins or bush-chats (11 species)
- Genus Copsychus - magpie-robins or shamas (7 species)
- Genus Phoenicurus - true redstarts (11 species)
- Genus Enicurus - forktails (7 species)
- Genus Cochoa - cochoas (4 species)
- Genus Oenanthe - wheatears (some 20 species)
- Genus Trichixos - Rufous-tailed Shama
Aberrant redstarts, possibly belonging in this subfamily:
- Genus Chaimarrornis - White-capped Redstart
- Genus Rhyacornis (2 species)
- Genus Hodgsonius - White-bellied Redstart
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