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 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 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'' of the honeyeater family (

Meliphagidae The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family, Meliphagidae, of small to medium-sized birds. The family includes the Australian chats, myzomelas, friarbirds, wattlebirds, miners and melidectes. They are most common in Australia and New G ...

). 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, ''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 subfamily ...

'' (4 species) ** Genus ''

Calliope In Greek mythology, Calliope ( ; grc, Καλλιόπη, Kalliópē, beautiful-voiced) 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 ...

'' (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 seven species in this genus were all previously placed in other genera. A large molecular phy ...

'' (6 species) ** Genus ''

Erithacus ''Erithacus'' (Greek: "robin" (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 aka ...

'' - 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'' *** Grandala, ''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, ''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, ''Oenanthe scotocerca'' *** Brown rock chat, ''Oenanthe fusca'' *** Sombre rock chat, ''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, ''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'' -

akalat The akalats ( stressed on the second syllable) are medium-sized insectivorous birds in the genus ''Sheppardia''. They were formerly placed in the thrush family, Turdidae, but are more often now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher family ...

s (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'' -

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-robin The magpie-robins or shamas (from ''shama'', Bengali and Hindi for ''C. malabaricus'') are medium-sized insectivorous birds (some also eat berries and other fruit) in the genus ''Copsychus''. They were formerly in the thrush family Turdidae, but ...

s 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 insectivore ...

'' - 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'' - 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, ...

s (some 20 species) Aberrant redstarts, possibly belonging in this subfamily: * Genus ''

Chaimarrornis The white-capped redstart or white-capped water redstart (''Phoenicurus leucocephalus'') is a passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae native to the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, and to certain regions of Central A ...

'' - 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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