Rufous-tailed Robin
Encyclopedia
The Rufous-tailed Robin Luscinia sibilans, also known as Swinhoe's Robin, Swinhoe's Nightingale or Whistling Nightingale, is a small passerine
bird that 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 chat
s.
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. The first record in Europe was on Fair Isle
, Scotland in October 2004. Another was in Poland
in January 2006.
The nest is in a tree and 3–6 eggs are laid.
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 thrush
es such as Veery
and Hermit Thrush
.
It is a bird of undergrowth in coniferous woodlands, terrestrial in its habits and insect
ivorous. It often flicks its tail.
The call of the Rufous-tailed Robin is a chirp or chirrup like an insect or a shrew
.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush
Thrush (bird)
The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...
family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher
Old World flycatcher
The Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae is a large family of small passerine birds mostly restricted to the Old World. These are mainly small arboreal insectivores, many of which, as the name implies, take their prey on the wing.-Characteristics:...
, Muscicapidae. It, and similar small Old World species, are often called chat
Chat (bird)
Chats are a group of small Old World insectivorous birds formerly classed as members of the thrush family Turdidae, but now considered Old World flycatchers....
s.
It is a migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
insectivorous species breeding in forests in the taiga
Taiga
Taiga , also known as the boreal forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests.Taiga is the world's largest terrestrial biome. In North America it covers most of inland Canada and Alaska as well as parts of the extreme northern continental United States and is known as the Northwoods...
of northeastern Asia and south to Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, and wintering in Southeast Asia and southern China. The first record in Europe was on Fair Isle
Fair Isle
Fair Isle is an island in northern Scotland, lying around halfway between mainland Shetland and the Orkney islands. It is famous for its bird observatory and a traditional style of knitting.-Geography:...
, Scotland in October 2004. Another was in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in January 2006.
The nest is in a tree and 3–6 eggs are laid.
The Rufous-tailed Robin is smaller than European Robin
European Robin
The European Robin , most commonly known in Anglophone Europe simply as the Robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family , but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher...
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 thrush
Thrush (bird)
The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...
es such as Veery
Veery
The Veery, Catharus fuscescens, is a small thrush species. It is occasionally called Willow Thrush or Wilson's Thrush. It is a member of a close-knit group of migrant Catharus species, which also includes the cryptotaxa Grey-cheeked Thrush and Bicknell's Thrush The Veery, Catharus fuscescens, is a...
and Hermit Thrush
Hermit Thrush
The Hermit Thrush is a medium-sized North American thrush. It is not very closely related to the other North American migrant species of Catharus, but rather to the Mexican Russet Nightingale-thrush.-Description:...
.
It is a bird of undergrowth in coniferous woodlands, terrestrial in its habits and insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
ivorous. It often flicks its tail.
The call of the Rufous-tailed Robin is a chirp or chirrup like an insect or a shrew
Shrew
A shrew or shrew mouse is a small molelike mammal classified in the order Soricomorpha. True shrews are also not to be confused with West Indies shrews, treeshrews, otter shrews, or elephant shrews, which belong to different families or orders.Although its external appearance is generally that of...
.