Chats (formerly sometimes known as "chat-thrushes") are a group of small

Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by th ...

insectivorous

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...

s formerly classified as members of the

thrush ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction television series produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and first broadcast on NBC. The series follows secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a secret ...

family (Turdidae), but following genetic DNA analysis, are now considered to belong to the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapidae). The name is normally applied to the more robust ground-feeding flycatchers found in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

and

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...

and most northern species are strong

migrants Migrant may refer to: Human migration *Human migration *Emigration, leaving one's resident country with the intent to settle elsewhere *Immigration, movement into a country with the intent to settle * Economic migrant, someone who emigrates from o ...

. There are many genera and these birds in particular make up most of the subfamily Saxicolinae. Other songbirds called "chats" are: * Australian chats, genera '' Ashbyia'' and ''

Epthianura ''Epthianura'' is a genus of bird also known as the Australian chats. Along with the gibberbird in the genus ''Ashbyia'' they were once thought to constitute a separate family, the Epthianuridae, although most taxonomists today treat them as a su ...

'' 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 The yellow-breasted chat (''Icteria virens'') is a large songbird found in North America, and is the only member of the family Icteriidae. It was once a member of the New World warbler family, but in 2017, the American Ornithological Society move ...

(''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 The golden bush robin (''Tarsiger chrysaeus'') or golden bush-robin was first discovered in 1845 by Brian Houghton Hodgson, a British naturalist. Description This species is typically a 14-15 cm long species of songbird in the family Muscicapi ...

, ''Tarsiger chrysaeus'' ***

White-browed bush robin The white-browed bush robin (''Tarsiger indicus'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found from the Himalayas to south-central China and Taiwan. Its natural habitat is Rhododendron and conifer forests. The subspecies ''formo ...

, ''Tarsiger indicus'' *** Rufous-breasted bush robin, ''Tarsiger hyperythrus'' *** Collared bush robin, ''Tarsiger johnstoniae'' ** Genus '' Luscinia'' (4 species) ** Genus '' Calliope'' (4 species) ** Genus '' Larvivora '' (6 species) ** Genus '' Erithacus'' - European robin ** 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 The Angola cave chat (''Xenocopsychus ansorgei'') is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is the sole member of the monotypic genus ''Xenocopsychus''; although it was placed in ''Cossypha'' between 2010 ...

, ''Xenocopsychus ansorgei'' ** Genus ''

Saxicoloides The Indian robin (''Copsychus fulicatus'')Rasmussen & Anderton emend the species epithet from ''fulicata'' to ''fulicatus'' since ''Saxicola'' is masculine and the ''-oides'' ending is always masculine according to ICZN Code 30.1.4.4ICZN Code. See ...

'' - Indian robin (formerly) ** Genus '' Cinclidium'' ***

Blue-fronted robin The blue-fronted robin (''Cinclidium frontale'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is the only species in the monotypic genus ''Cinclidium''. It is found in Bhutan, China, Northeast India, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and possibly ...

, ''Cinclidium frontale'' ** Genus ''

Myiomela ''Myiomela'' is a genus of bird in the family Muscicapidae. Some members have sometimes been included in the genus '' Cinclidium'' and the phylogeny has not been resolved completely. The genus currently includes three species: * White-tailed ...

'' *** White-tailed robin, ''Myiomela leucura'' *** Javan blue robin, ''Myiomela diana'' *** Sumatran blue robin, ''Myiomela sumatrana'' ** Genus ''

Grandala The grandala (''Grandala coelicolor'') is a species of bird in the thrush family Turdidae. It is the only species placed in the genus ''Grandala''. It is an arboreal insectivore. It ranges across the northeastern Indian Subcontinent and some adjo ...

'' ***

, ''Grandala coelicolor'' ** Genus ''

Namibornis The Herero chat (''Namibornis herero'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Namibornis''. It is endemic to the Namibian savanna woodlands. References * Del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (edit ...

'' ***

Herero chat The Herero chat (''Namibornis herero'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Namibornis''. It is endemic to the Namibian savanna woodlands. References * Del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (edit ...

, ''Namibornis herero'' ** Genus ''

Emarginata ''Emarginata'' is a genus of birds in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that occur in southern Africa. The three species in the genus were previously placed in the genus ''Cercomela''. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2 ...

'' ***

Sickle-winged chat The sickle-winged chat or sicklewing chat (''Emarginata sinuata'') is a small passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae endemic to southern Africa. It is a common resident breeder in South Africa and Lesotho, and is also fo ...

, ''Emarginata sinuata'' *** Karoo chat, ''Emarginata schlegelii'' ***

Tractrac chat The tractrac chat (''Emarginata tractrac'') is a small passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is a common resident breeder in southernmost Angola, western Namibia and western South Africa. Its habitat is Karoo ...

, ''Emarginata tractrac'' ** Genus '' Oenanthe'' *** Familiar chat, ''Oenanthe familiaris'' ***

Brown-tailed rock chat The brown-tailed rock chat (''Oenanthe scotocerca'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry ...

, ''Oenanthe scotocerca'' ***

Brown rock chat The brown rock chat (''Oenanthe fusca'') or Indian chat is a bird species of the family Muscicapidae. It is found mainly in northern and central India. It is often found on old buildings and rocky areas. It resembles a female Indian robin but lac ...

, ''Oenanthe fusca'' ***

Sombre rock chat The sombre rock chat (''Oenanthe dubia'') is a species of passerine bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Ethiopia and Somalia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. The sombre rock chat was formerly included in ...

, ''Oenanthe dubia'' *** Blackstart, ''Oenanthe melanura'' *** Moorland chat, ''Oenanthe sordida'' ** Genus '' Myrmecocichla'' *** Sooty chat (''Myrmecocichla nigra'') *** Anteater chat (''Myrmecocichla aethiops'') *** Congo moor chat (''Myrmecocichla tholloni'') *** Ant-eating chat (''Myrmecocichla formicivora'') *** Rüppell's black chat (''Myrmecocichla melaena'') ***

Mountain chat The mountain wheatear or mountain chat (''Myrmecocichla monticola'') is a small insectivorous passerine bird that is endemic to southwestern Africa. Range and habitat This non-migratory wheatear is resident in mountainous and rocky habitats i ...

(''Myrmecocichla monticola'') *** Arnot's chat (''Myrmecocichla arnoti'') *** Ruaha chat (''Myrmecocichla collaris'') ** Genus '' Thamnolaea'' - cliff chats ***

Mocking cliff chat The mocking cliff chat, mocking chat or cliff chat, (''Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris'') is a species of chat in the family Muscicapidae which occurs in rocky habitats in much of eastern Sub-Saharan Africa. Description The mocking cliff chat is a l ...

, ''Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris'' ***

White-winged cliff chat The white-winged cliff chat (''Monticola semirufus'') is a species of passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found in rocky wooded gorges, among boulders and in road cuttings within the Ethiopian Highlands. This ...

, ''Thamnolaea semirufa'' ** Genus '' Pinarornis'' ***

Boulder chat The boulder chat (''Pinarornis plumosus'') is a species of bird in the thrush family Turdidae native to dry woodland and savanna in Southern Africa. It is the only species in the monotypic genus ''Pinarornis''. Taxonomy The boulder chat was sp ...

''Pinarornis plumosus'' Saxicolinae genera not usually called "chats" are: * Genus '' Sheppardia'' - akalats (9 species) * Genus ''

Cossyphicula The white-bellied robin-chat (''Cossyphicula roberti'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Cossyphicula''. It is found in western Cameroon, Bioko and the Albertine Rift montane forests. Its natur ...

'' - white-bellied robin-chat - may belong in ''Cossypha'' * Genus '' Cossypha'' - robin-chats (15 species, excluding the white-bellied robin-chat) * Genus '' Cichladusa'' -

palm-thrush The palm thrushes are medium-sized insectivorous birds in the genus ''Cichladusa''. They were formerly in the thrush family Turdidae, but are now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher Muscicapidae. These are tropical African species whic ...

es (3 species) * Genus ''

Cercotrichas The scrub robins or bush chats are medium-sized insectivorous birds in the genus ''Cercotrichas''. They were formerly in the thrush family, (Turdidae), but are more often now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher family, (Muscicapidae). T ...

'' -

scrub-robin The scrub robins or bush chats are medium-sized insectivorous birds in the genus ''Cercotrichas''. They were formerly in the thrush family, (Turdidae), but are more often now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher family, (Muscicapidae). ...

s or bush-chats (10 species) * Genus '' Myophonus'', whistling thrushes * Genus '' Copsychus'' - magpie-robins or shamas (12 species) * Genus '' Phoenicurus'' - true redstarts (11 species) * Genus '' Enicurus'' - forktails (7 species) * Genus ''

Cochoa The cochoas (from ''cocho'', Nepali for ''Cochoa purpurea'') are medium-sized frugivorous, insectivorous and molluscivorous birds in the genus ''Cochoa''. Their bright contrasting plumage patterns, sexual dimorphism and feeding habits made their ...

'' -

cochoa The cochoas (from ''cocho'', Nepali for ''Cochoa purpurea'') are medium-sized frugivorous, insectivorous and molluscivorous birds in the genus ''Cochoa''. Their bright contrasting plumage patterns, sexual dimorphism and feeding habits made their ...

s (4 species) * Genus ''

Brachypteryx ''Brachypteryx'' is a genus of passerine birds containing six species known as shortwings, that occurs in southeast Asia. Shortwings are small birds with long legs, finely pointed bills, short tails and short rounded wings. They are shy elusiv ...

'' - (4 species) * Genus ''

Heinrichia The great shortwing (''Heinrichia calligyna'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae, and the only member of its genus. Other common names include giant shortwing, Celebes shortwing and Sulawesi shortwing. It is endemic to Sulawesi in ...

'' - great shortwing * Genus '' Leonardina'' - Bagobo babbler * Genus '' Oenanthe'' - wheatears (some 20 species) Aberrant redstarts, possibly belonging in this subfamily: * Genus '' Chaimarrornis'' - white-capped redstart * Genus ''

Rhyacornis ''Phoenicurus'' is a genus of passerine birds in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae, native to Europe, Asia and Africa. They are named redstarts from their orange-red tails ('start' is an old name for a tail). They are small insectivo ...

'' (2 species)

References

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