Nilgiri blue robin

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Nilgiri blue robin
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Sholicola
Species:
S. major
Binomial name
Sholicola major
(Jerdon, 1841)
Synonyms

Phaenicura major
Phoenicura major
Brachypteryx major
Callene rufiventris
Myiomela major

The Nilgiri blue robin (Sholicola major), also known as Nilgiri shortwing, white-bellied shortwing, Nilgiri sholakili or rufous-bellied shortwing is a

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

molecular phylogenetic study found that these two south Indian species formed a sister group to a clade containing the genera Eumyias, Niltava and Cyornis
. A new genus Sholicola was therefore erected for these two species.

Description

Nilgiri blue robin at Coonoor

This chat-like bird is long-legged and appears chunky with its short tail and wing. Although sharing similar habits and shape, the two species differ in plumage and both may show slight sexual dimorphism. Females may differ from males in iris colour at least in S. albiventris.[2][3]

The Nilgiri blue robin (S. major) has the lores black and the upperside, the throat, breast are dark slaty blue but the lower plumage is rufous. The centre of the belly is buffy white. The brow is not as well-marked as in the other species and is diffuse bluish.[4]

Taxonomy and systematics

Birds of South Asia (2005), however they moved the species tentatively into the genus Myiomela based on morphological similarities and pointed out that the placement in Brachypteryx was in error (as Brachypteryx is strongly sexually dimorphic).[2]

Plumage of Sholicola major underside showing the rufous flanks and white belly

In 2010, DNA sequence studies suggested an ancient divergence in these two populations and confirmed their elevation to full species.

Turdidae belonged to the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae.[13] The type species of Brachypteryx, B. montana, shows strong sexual dimorphism.[14] A 2017 study found that the species from southern India formed a group that is a sister to the clade (treated as subfamily Niltavinae[15]) of flycatchers in the genera Eumyias, Cyanoptila, Niltava, Cyornis and Anthipes and the new genus of Sholicola was erected for them.[16][17]

Habitat and distribution

Its natural

habitat loss.[18]

Populations of S. major are found in the Nilgiris, the Bababudan hills and the Brahmagiris.[19][20]

Behaviour and ecology

These birds are found in dense forest in the dark lower canopy and forest floor. They are skulking but can be confiding. They call frequently with tit-like notes and harsh rattles. The song of S. major is said to be series of shrill whistles and twangy buzzing sounds.[21] Geographically isolated populations show variations in their songs.[22] Birds have been noted to moult their tail feathers in the beginning of June. Little is known of their dispersal, longevity and other aspects of life history although more than 133 birds have been ringed.[2][23]

Two greyish green and brown-marked eggs are laid during the breeding season that varies from April to June, after the rains. The nest is placed in a tree hole or placed on a bank and is made of moss and fibrous roots and placed low over the ground.[10][24] The incubation period is about 16 to 17 days.[25] Both parents share the nesting duties like incubation and feeding the nestlings. Old nests from the previous year may sometimes be reused.[26]

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22735416A95110419.en
    . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Rasmussen, Pamela C. & John C. Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Volume 2. Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions. p. 400.
  3. ^ Sharpe, R. Bowdler (1883). Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum. Volume 7. British Museum, London. pp. 14–17.
  4. ^ a b Oates, EW (1889). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Birds. Volume 1. Taylor and Francis, London. pp. 184–186.
  5. ^ Jerdon TC (1844). "Supplement to the catalogue of birds of the peninsula of India". Madras Journal of Literature and Science. 13: 156–174.
  6. ^ Jerdon, TC (1862). The Birds of India. Volume 1. The Military Orphan Press, Calcutta. p. 496.
  7. ^ Baker, ECS (1921). "The birds of the Indian Empire: Hand-list of the "Birds of India", Part 3". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 27 (4).
  8. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1939.tb03983.x
    .
  9. ^ Baker, ECS (1924). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Volume 2 (2nd ed.). Taylor and Francis, London. pp. 9–11.
  10. ^ a b Ali, S & SD Ripley (1997). Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Volume 8 (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 209–210.
  11. ^ Rasmussen, P.C. (2005). "Biogeographic and conservation implications of revised species limits and distributions of South Asian birds". Zool. Med. Leiden. 79 (13): 137–146.
  12. PMID 20967202
    .
  13. PMID 20656044
    .
  14. ISBN 0-19-588982-7
    .
  15. PMID 27988667
    .
  16. PMID 28114902
    .
  17. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David (eds.). "Chats, Old World flycatchers". World Bird List Version 7.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  18. S2CID 795223
    .
  19. ^ Collar NJ; A.V. Andreev; S. Chan; M.J. Crosby; S. Subramanya; J.A. Tobias (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia (PDF). BirdLife International. pp. 2019–2022.
  20. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1888.tb07729.x
    .
  21. ^ Terry, Horace (?) (1887). "A few additional notes on birds on the Pulney Hills". Stray Feathers. 10 (6): 467–480.
  22. S2CID 53144163
    .
  23. ^ Balachandran, S (1999). "Moult in some birds of Palni Hills, Western Ghats". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 96 (1): 48–54.
  24. ^ Hume, AO (1889). The nests and eggs of Indian birds. Volume 1 (2nd ed.). R H Porter, London. pp. 128–129.
  25. ^ Robin VV (2005). "A note on the breeding of the White-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx major from the Western Ghats, south India". Indian Birds. 1 (6): 145–146.
  26. ^ Senthilmurugan B., Ashfaq Ahmed Zarri & AR Rahmani (2005). "Nest re-use in White-bellied Shortwing Brachypteryx major in the Nilgiri hills, India" (PDF). Indian Birds. 1 (1): 2–3.[permanent dead link]

External links

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