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

Old World The "Old World" () is a term for Afro-Eurasia coined by Europeans after 1493, when they became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia in the Eastern Hemisphere, previously ...

insectivorous

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...

s formerly classified as members of the thrush family (Turdidae), but following genetic DNA analysis are now considered to belong to the

Old World flycatcher The Old World flycatchers are a large family, the Muscicapidae, of small passerine birds restricted to the Old World (Europe, Africa and Asia), with the exception of several vagrants and two species, bluethroat (''Luscinia svecica'') and north ...

family (Muscicapidae). The name is normally applied to the more robust ground-feeding flycatchers found in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

and

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

and most northern species are strong migrants. There are many genera and these birds in particular make up most of the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

Saxicolinae. Other songbirds called "chats" are: * Australian chats, genera '' Ashbyia'' and '' Epthianura'' of the honeyeater family (

Meliphagidae The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family (biology), family, Meliphagidae, of small to medium-sized birds. The family includes the Epthianura, Australian chats, myzomelas, friarbirds, wattlebirds, Manorina, miners and melidectes. They are m ...

). They belong to a more ancient lineage than Saxicolinae. * American chats, genus '' Granatellus'' of the cardinal family (

Cardinalidae Cardinalidae (sometimes referred to as "cardinal-grosbeaks" or simply "cardinals") is a family of New World-Endemism, endemic passerine birds that consists of Cardinalis, cardinals, grosbeaks, and Passerina, buntings. It also includes several ot ...

), 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 America, and is the only member of the family Icteriidae. It was once a member of the New World warbler family Parulidae, but in 2017, the American Ornithological Socie ...

(''Icteria virens''), an enigmatic North American songbird previously placed in the wood-warbler family (

Parulidae The New World warblers or wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful, passerine birds that make up the family Parulidae and are restricted to the New World. The family contains 120 species. They are not closely related to Old World warb ...

) and now in the monotypic Icteriidae; its true relationships are unresolved.

Species in taxonomic order

Subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

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 ''Luscinia '' is a genus of smallish passerine birds, containing the nightingales and relatives. Formerly classed as members of the thrush family Turdidae, they are now considered to be Old World flycatchers (Muscicapidae) of the chat subfami ...

'' (4 species) ** Genus ''

Calliope In Greek mythology, Calliope ( ; ) is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Hesiod and Ovid called her the "Chief of all Muses". Mythology Calliope had two famous sons, OrpheusH ...

'' (4 species) ** Genus ''

Larvivora ''Larvivora'' is a genus of small passerine birds belonging to the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that occur in central and eastern Asia. The species in this genus were all previously classified in other genera. A large molecular phylo ...

'' (8 species) ** Genus ''

Erithacus ''Erithacus'' (; (erithacos)) is a genus of passerine bird that contains a single extant species, the European robin (''Erithacus rubecula''). The Japanese robin and Ryukyu robin were also placed in this genus (as ''Erithacus akahige'' and ''E ...

'' – European robin ** Genus '' Irania'' – white-throated robin ** Genus ''

Saxicola ''Saxicola'' (Latin: ''saxum'', rock + ''incola'', dwelling in.), the stonechats or chats, is a genus of 15 species of small passerine birds restricted to the Old World. They are insectivores occurring in open scrubland and grassland with scatte ...

'' – bushchats and stonechats (c. 15 species) ** Genus '' Pogonocichla'' *** White-starred robin, ''Pogonocichla stellata'' ** Genus '' Swynnertonia'' *** Swynnerton's robin, ''Swynnertonia swynnertoni'' ** Genus ''

Stiphrornis ''Stiphrornis'' is a genus of passerine birds containing the forest robins. These are members of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae and are found in the tropical rain-forests of West Africa. The genus formerly contained only a single sp ...

'' – forest robins (1–5 species, depending on taxonomy) ** Genus '' Xenocopsychus'' *** Angola cave chat, ''Xenocopsychus ansorgei'' ** Genus '' Saxicoloides'' – Indian robin (formerly) ** Genus '' Cinclidium'' *** Blue-fronted robin, ''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 r ...

'' *** White-tailed robin, ''Myiomela leucura'' ***

Javan blue robin The Javan blue robin (''Myiomela diana'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Indonesian island of Java. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The Sumatran blue robin (''Myiomela ...

, ''Myiomela diana'' ***

Sumatran blue robin The Sumatran blue robin (''Myiomela sumatrana'') is an Old World flycatcher in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Javan blue robin The Javan blue robin ('' ...

, ''Myiomela sumatrana'' ** Genus '' Grandala'' *** Grandala, ''Grandala coelicolor'' ** Genus ''

Namibornis The Herero chat (''Namibornis herero'') is a species of passerine bird belonging to the Family (biology), family Muscicapidae, the chats and Old World flycatchers. It is the only species in the monospecific genus ''Namibornis'' and it has a restr ...

'' ***

Herero chat The Herero chat (''Namibornis herero'') is a species of passerine bird belonging to the family Muscicapidae, the chats and Old World flycatchers. It is the only species in the monospecific genus ''Namibornis'' and it has a restricted range in so ...

, ''Namibornis herero'' ** Genus '' Emarginata'' *** Sickle-winged chat, ''Emarginata sinuata'' *** Karoo chat, ''Emarginata schlegelii'' *** Tractrac chat, ''Emarginata tractrac'' ** Genus '' Oenanthe'' *** Familiar chat, ''Oenanthe familiaris'' *** Brown-tailed rock chat, ''Oenanthe scotocerca'' *** Brown rock chat, ''Oenanthe fusca'' *** Sombre rock chat, ''Oenanthe dubia'' *** Blackstart, ''Oenanthe melanura'' *** Moorland chat, ''Oenanthe sordida'' ** Genus ''

Myrmecocichla ''Myrmecocichla'' is a genus of passerine birds in the Old World chat and flycatcher family Muscicapidae. The genus contains the following species: References

Myrmecocichla, Bird genera Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa Taxonomy articl ...

'' ***

Sooty chat The sooty chat (''Myrmecocichla nigra'') is an African songbird of the chat subfamily. Description It is 15 to 16 cm (6 to 6.25 inches) long, stocky and relatively short-tailed for a chat. The adult male's plumage is glossy black exce ...

(''Myrmecocichla nigra'') ***

Anteater chat The anteater chat or northern anteater-chat (''Myrmecocichla aethiops'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. Its range extends across the Sahel and the East African montane forests. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical ...

(''Myrmecocichla aethiops'') *** Congo moor chat (''Myrmecocichla tholloni'') ***

Ant-eating chat The ant-eating chat or southern anteater-chat (''Myrmecocichla formicivora'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical o ...

(''Myrmecocichla formicivora'') ***

Rüppell's black chat Rüppell's black chat (''Myrmecocichla melaena'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in the Ethiopian Highlands of Eritrea and Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a land ...

(''Myrmecocichla melaena'') ***

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

(''Myrmecocichla monticola'') ***

Arnot's chat Arnot's chat (''Myrmecocichla arnotti''), also known as the white-headed black-chat, is a species of bird in the chat and flycatcher family Muscicapidae. The species is found in southern Africa from Rwanda and Angola to South Africa. Taxonomy Th ...

(''Myrmecocichla arnoti'') ***

Ruaha chat The Ruaha chat (''Myrmecocichla collaris'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in western Tanzania, eastern Rwanda, Burundi, and northern Zambia. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry lowland ...

(''Myrmecocichla collaris'') ** Genus ''Thamnolaea'' *** Mocking cliff chat, ''Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris'' ** Genus '' Pinarornis'' *** Boulder chat ''Pinarornis plumosus'' 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 (15 species, excluding the white-bellied robin-chat) * Genus '' Cichladusa'' – palm-thrushes (3 species) * Genus ''

Cercotrichas ''Cercotrichas'' is a genus of medium-sized insectivorous birds. They were formerly considered to be in the thrush (bird), thrush family, (Turdidae), but are more often now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher family, (Muscicapidae). Taxo ...

'' – scrub-robins (10 species) * Genus '' Myophonus'', whistling thrushes * Genus '' Copsychus'' – magpie-robins or shamas (12 species) * Genus ''

Phoenicurus ''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 insectivor ...

'' – true redstarts (11 species) * Genus '' Enicurus'' – forktails (7 species) * Genus '' Cochoa'' – cochoas (4 species) * Genus '' Brachypteryx'' – (10 species) * Genus '' Heinrichia'' – great shortwing * Genus '' Leonardina'' – Bagobo babbler * Genus '' Oenanthe'' –

wheatear The wheatears are passerine birds of the genus ''Oenanthe''. They were formerly considered to be members of the thrush family, Turdidae, but are now more commonly placed in the flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. This is an Old World group, but ...

s (some 20 species) Aberrant redstarts, possibly belonging in this subfamily: * Genus '' Chaimarrornis'' – white-capped redstart * Genus '' Rhyacornis'' (2 species)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1193805 *