Rufous-tailed robin
| Rufous-tailed robin | |
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| In Khao Yai National Park, Pak Chong, Thailand | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Larvivora |
| Species: | L. sibilans |
| Binomial name | |
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Larvivora sibilans (Swinhoe, 1863) |
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| Synonyms | |
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The rufous-tailed robin (Larvivora sibilans) is a small passerine bird. Its breeding range extends from southern Siberia and the Sea of Okhotsk to southern China and southeastern Asia.
It has 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.
The rufous-tailed robin was previously placed in the genus Luscinia. A large molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 found that Luscinia was not monophyletic. The genus was therefore split and several species including rufous-tailed robin were moved to the reinstated genus Larvivora. The rufous-tailed robin is genetically most closely related to the rufous-headed robin (Larvivora ruficeps). These two species form a sister group to a clade containing the Japanese robin (Larvivora akahige) and the Ryukyu robin (Larvivora komadori).
The genus name Larvivora comes from the new Latin larva meaning caterpillar and -vorus meaning eating (vorace to devour), and sibilans is Latin for "whistling".
The rufous-tailed robin is much the same size as the European robin at 14 cm (5.5 in) length. It is plain greyish brown above and grey to white below, with circular pale markings on its heavily mottled throat and breast. It has a bright rufous rump and tail. The flanks are buff and there is whitish ring round the eye and a pronounced buffish cheek stripe. The tip of the lower mandible is slightly upturned. The beak is brownish-black and the legs pinkish-grey. The sexes generally look alike but the females may be marginally paler. Juveniles are similar to the adults but tinged with ochre and with dark edges to the upper plumage. At first glance this bird could be confused with the American Catharus thrushes such as veery and hermit thrush.
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Wikipedia