Common rock thrush
| Common rock thrush | |
|---|---|
| File:Monsax.jpg | |
| male, Spain | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Monticola |
| Species: | M. saxatilis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Monticola saxatilis (Linnaeus, 1766)
| |
| File:MonticolaSaxatilisIUCNver2019 1.png | |
| Range of M. saxatilis Breeding Passage Non-breeding
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Turdus saxatilis Linnaeus, 1766 | |
The common rock thrush (Monticola saxatilis),[2] also known as the rufous-tailed rock thrush or simply rock thrush, is a species of chat that breeds in southern Europe across Central Asia to northern China. This species is strongly migratory, all populations wintering in Africa south of the Sahara. It is an uncommon visitor to northern Europe. Its range has contracted somewhat at the periphery in recent decades due to habitat destruction. For example, in the early 20th century it bred in the Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska (Poland) where none occur today,[3] but it is not considered globally endangered.[1]
Taxonomy
[edit | edit source]The common rock thrush was formally described in 1766 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Turdus saxatilis.[4] Linnaeus cited an earlier description by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson.[5] The common rock thrush is now one of 15 species placed in the genus Monticola that was introduced in 1822 by the German naturalist Friedrich Boie. The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.[6] The scientific name is from Latin: Monticola is from mons, montis "mountain", and colere, "to dwell", and saxatilis means "rock-frequenting", from saxum, "stone" .[7][8] The type locality is Switzerland.[9]
Description
[edit | edit source]This is a medium-sized but stocky thrush 17–20 cm in length. The summer male is unmistakable, with a blue-grey head, orange underparts and outer tail feathers, dark brown wings and white back. Females and immatures are much less striking, with dark brown scaly upperparts, and paler brown scaly underparts. The outer tail feathers are reddish, like the male.[10]
Behaviour and ecology
[edit | edit source]This species breeds in open dry hilly areas, usually above 1500 m. It nests in rock cavities, laying 4–5 eggs. It is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, berries and small reptiles. The male common rock thrush has a clear and tuneful song.[10]
Gallery
[edit | edit source]-
Common rock thrush, Boulmane de Dades, Morocco -
Eggs, Collection Museum Wiesbaden
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ English Name Updates - IOC Version 2.9 (July 10, 2011) Archived March 3, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, IOC World Bird List
- ^ Tomek, Teresa & Bocheński, Zygmunt (2005): "Weichselian and Holocene bird remains from Komarowa Cave, Central Poland". Acta zoologica cracoviensia 48A(1-2): 43-65.
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). The two stars (**) at the start of the section indicates that Brisson based his description on the examination of a specimen.
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)..
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b Clement, Peter & Hathaway, Ren (2000): Thrushes. Christopher Helm, London. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
[edit | edit source]- Error creating thumbnail: File missing Media related to Lua error in Module:Commons_link at line 62: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). at Wikimedia Commons
- Oiseaux Photos, map, text.(in French)
- Ageing and sexing (PDF; 1.2 MB) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze
- Handbook of the Birds of the World
- BirdGuides
- Macaulay Library
- Mangoverde; direct link here
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