Bluethroat

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Bluethroat
L. s. svecica, Oppdal, Norway
Song recorded in Chukotka, Russia

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Luscinia
Species:
L. svecica
Binomial name
Luscinia svecica
Distribution of the bluethroat (orange: breeding range; blue: non-breeding range)
Synonyms
  • Motacilla svecica Linnaeus, 1758
  • Cyanecula
    svecica

The bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) 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

Palearctic with a foothold in western Alaska. It nests in tussocks or low in dense bushes. It winters in the Iberian Peninsula, the northern half of Africa, and in southern Asia (among others including the Indian subcontinent
).

The bluethroat bird is similar in size to the European robin at 13–14 cm. It is plain brown above except for the distinctive black tail with red side patches. It has a strong white supercilium. Despite the distinctive appearance of the males, recent genetic studies show only limited variation between the forms, and confirm that this is a single species.[2] Moults begins in July after breeding and are completed in 40–45 days, before the birds migrate.[3]

The male has a varied and very imitative song.[4] Its call is a typical chat chack noise.

Subspecies

Breeding distribution of the bluethroat subspecies

See the Wikispecies page.

Females of all subspecies usually have just a blackish crescent on an otherwise cream throat and breast. Newly fledged juveniles are freckled and spotted dark brown above.

Etymology

Calling

The genus name Luscinia is

specific epithet svecica is from Neo-Latin Suecicus meaning "Swedish". The colours of the male's breast were thought to evoke the Swedish flag, the yellow in the flag being more orange hued in the 17th and 18th centuries.[5]

Gallery

  • Male (L. s. volgae), Elektrougli, Russia
    Male (L. s. volgae), Elektrougli, Russia
  • Male (L. s. cyanecula), Biebrzaski, Poland
    Male (L. s. cyanecula), Biebrzaski, Poland
  • Bluethroat male calling at Jamnagar, India
    Bluethroat male calling at Jamnagar, India
  • Female at Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India
    Female at
    Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India
  • Red-spotted race
    Red-spotted race
  • Eggs, Collection Museum Wiesbaden, Germany
    Eggs, Collection
    Museum Wiesbaden, Germany
  • KSA
    1992

References

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2012). "Cyanecula svecica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  2. PMID 14629386. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 2005-04-04.
  3. ISBN 978-1-4729-0647-2
    .
  4. ^ Metzmacher M. (2008) Les Grillons, muses de la Gorgebleue à miroir blanc (Luscinia svecica cyanecula) ? Parcs & Réserves, 63 : 17-19.
  5. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4
    .

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bluethroat&oldid=1214538667"