Rufous-tailed Robin

The Rufous-tailed Robin, Luscinia sibilans, is a small passerine bird.

It is known by a number of alternative English names: Pseudorobin, Red-tailed Robin, Swinhoe's Red-tailed Robin, Swinhoe's Robin, Swinhoe's Pseudorobin, Swinhoe's Nightingale or Whistling Nightingale.

Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Morphology 3 Distribution 3.1 Breeding and wintering ranges 3.2 Vagrancy 4 Breeding biology 5 Habitat 6 Behaviour 7 Vocalisations 8 References

Taxonomy

Rufous-tailed Robin 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 Old World species, are often called chats

Morphology

The Rufous-tailed Robin is smaller than European Robin at 14 cm length. It is plain grey brown above and grey to white below, with a heavily mottled breast. It has a bright rufous tail. At first glance it is confusable with the American Catharus thrushes such as Veery and Hermit Thrush.

Distribution

Breeding and wintering ranges

It is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in forests in the taiga of northeastern Asia and south to Mongolia, and wintering in Southeast Asia and southern China.

Vagrancy

The first record in Europe was on Fair Isle, Scotland in October 2004. Another was in Poland in January 2006.

Breeding biology

The nest is in a tree and 3–6 eggs are laid.

Habitat

It is a bird of undergrowth in coniferous woodlands, terrestrial in its habits and insectivorous.

Behaviour

It often flicks its tail.

Vocalisations

The call of the Rufous-tailed Robin is a chirp or chirrup like an insect or a shrew.

References