Siberian Stonechat
Saxicola maurus
Chunky little bird of open landscapes; often sits on exposed perches. Breeding male has a black head, broad white half-collar, and rusty-red chest. Non-breeding male is patchier, with a paler head and chest. Female is predominantly streaky brown above, with a weaker, less contrasting face and chest pattern. European Stonechat is very similar, and can pose identification problems where the species overlap; look for Siberian’s larger white wing patch, duller orange on the chest, and whiter rump. Amur Stonechat is extremely similar, and in areas of overlap, or in cases of vagrancy, most individuals are inseparable based on current knowledge.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Saxicola maurus
- Authority
- (Pallas, 1773)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Saxicola
Range and habitat
The breeding range covers most of temperate Asia, from about latitude 71°N in Siberia south to the Himalaya and southwest China, and west to eastern Turkey and the Caspian Sea area. It also breeds in the far northeast of Europe, mainly in Russia but occasionally as far west as Finland.<p>The wintering range of the migratory bird is from southern Japan south to Thailand and India, and west to northeast Africa. On migration, small numbers reach as far west as western Europe, and exceptionally as far east as Alaska in North America.<p>The Siberian stonechat is insectivorous. It breeds in open rough scrubland or rough grassland with scattered shrubs, from sea level to about 4,000 m ASL or more. The birds seem to avoid even cool temperate conditions and stay up north only during the hot continental summer. In the montane regions of the Himalaya foothills of Bhutan, migrants can on occasion be seen foraging in fields and pastures more than 2,000 m ASL, but most move further down and south to winter in tropical regions.<p>Though it is not considered a distinct species by the IUCN, it is widespread and common and would not be considered a threatened species.
- Breeding range
- PAL : e Caucasus, se Turkey and w Iran, c Siberia, c Asia and the Himalayas to w, c China
- Non-breeding range
- ne Africa, s Asia
Photos
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Swierstra's Spurfowl
Pternistis swierstrai
Rare and unusual francolin that is endemic to Angola. Note the red bill and legs, mostly white face, black breast band, and black-striped white underparts. Found very locally in montane forest and along forest edge, often in rocky and grassy areas. Shy and elusive. The common vocalization is a series of rough “kurr-kraak” calls that become louder and more emphatic, then fade away. Distinguished from other francolins in its range by the bold white face and black breast band.
Bush Pipit
Anthus caffer
A small, dumpy pipit lacking a distinct eyebrow. The lack of wingbars and the diffuse streaks on the breast that do not reach the flanks are further distinguishing features. Pairs are furtive in open and lightly wooded savanna with bare patches, particularly where it is grassy or rocky. The scratchy, buzzy vocalizations can only be confused with those of Short-tailed Pipit, which differs from Bush Pipit by having a shorter tail and bill, and by being more heavily streaked on both upperparts and underparts, with streaking reaching the flanks. The Short-tailed Pipit also prefers different habitat: lush grassland in hilly areas and coastal plains.
Bismarck Honeyeater
Vosea whitemanensis
A relatively distinctive honeyeater, olive-brown overall with a darker cast to the face and obvious pale bare skin surrounding and extending slightly behind the eye. Bill is long and conspicuously downturned. Found in primary montane forest, forest edge, and occasionally gardens above 900 meters of elevation. Voice is reportedly a sequence of 3-8 soft whistled 2-syllabled notes, but little known.
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