Common rock thrush

{{Short description|Species of bird}}

{{speciesbox

| name = Common rock thrush

| image = Monsax.jpg

| image_caption = male, Spain

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2017 |title=Monticola saxatilis |volume=2017 |page=e.T22708257A111788908 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22708257A111788908.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}

| genus = Monticola

| species = saxatilis

| authority = (Linnaeus, 1766)

| synonyms = Turdus saxatilis {{small|Linnaeus, 1766}}

| range_map = MonticolaSaxatilisIUCNver2019 1.png

| range_map_caption = Range of M. saxatilis{{leftlegend|#00FF00|Breeding|outline=gray}} {{leftlegend|#00FFFF|Passage|outline=gray}} {{leftlegend|#007FFF|Non-breeding|outline=gray}}

}}

The common rock thrush (Monticola saxatilis),[http://www.worldbirdnames.org/updates-en.html English Name Updates - IOC Version 2.9 (July 10, 2011)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303183421/http://www.worldbirdnames.org/updates-en.html |date=March 3, 2012 }}, IOC World Bird List also known as rufous-tailed rock thrush or simply rock thrush, is a chat belonging to the family Muscicapidae. It was formerly placed in the family Turdidae. The scientific name is from Latin. Monticola is from mons, montis "mountain", and colere, "to dwell", and saxatilis means "rock-frequenting", from saxum, "stone" .{{cite book | last= Jobling | first= James A. | year= 2010| title= The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | url= https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling | publisher=Christopher Helm | location = London, United Kingdom | isbn = 978-1-4081-2501-4 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling/page/n260 260], 348}}.

It 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,Tomek, Teresa & Bocheński, Zygmunt (2005): "[http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search/download?pub=infobike%3a%2f%2fisez%2fazc%2f2005%2f00000048%2fF0020001%2fart00005&mimetype=application%2fpdf Weichselian and Holocene bird remains from Komarowa Cave, Central Poland]". Acta zoologica cracoviensia 48A(1-2): 43-65. but it is not considered globally endangered.