mountain chat
{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Oenanthe monticola, manlik, a, naby Tierpoort, Pta.jpg
| image2 = Oenanthe_monticola 1.jpg
| image2_caption = Males of the nominate (top) and westerly race, O. m. atmorii (bottom)
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Myrmecocichla
| species = monticola
| authority = (Vieillot, 1818)
| range_map = Mountain Wheatear.png
| range_map_caption = {{legend0|#B22222|resident range|outline=gray}}
| synonyms = Oenanthe monticola Viellot, 1918
}}
The mountain chat or mountain wheatear (Myrmecocichla monticola) is a small insectivorous passerine bird that is endemic to southwestern Africa.{{cite book |last1=Sinclair |first1=Ian|last2=Ryan |first2=Peter |title=Birds of Africa south of the Sahara |date=2010 |publisher=Struik Nature |location=Cape Town |isbn=9781770076235 |page=466 |edition=2nd}}
Range and habitat
This non-migratory chat is resident in mountainous and rocky habitats in Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and southernmost Angola.
Description
The mountain chat is 18–20 cm long, and like other chats, it has a distinctive tail pattern, with a white rump and outer tail feathers. Its legs and pointed bill are black. The male is very variable in plumage, although the tail pattern and a white shoulder patch are always present. A white and black bird. The body plumage varies from pale grey to almost black, and it may or may not have a white crown to the head. The female is entirely dark brown apart from the white rump and outer tail.
Habits
The mountain chat's song is a clear melodic whistle interspersed with harsh chatters. It is monogamous and nests on the ground amongst rocks, laying 2-4 white eggs. It eats insects and berries.
Taxonomy
Along with other chats, this species was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but based on studies published in 2004 and 2010, the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae is now preferred. The mountain wheatear was formerly placed in the genus Oenanthe. Molecular phylogenetic studies published in 2010 and 2012 found that the species was not closely related to the other members of Oenanthe and instead was genetically similar to the chats in the genus Myrmecocichla.{{ cite journal | last1=Sangster | first1=G. | last2=Alström | first2=P. | last3=Forsmark | first3=E. | last4=Olsson | first4=U. | year=2010 | title=Multi-locus phylogenetic analysis of Old World chats and flycatchers reveals extensive paraphyly at family, subfamily and genus level (Aves: Muscicapidae) | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=57 | issue=1 | pages=380–392 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2010.07.008 | pmid=20656044| bibcode=2010MolPE..57..380S }}{{ cite journal | last1=Aliabadian | first1=M. | last2=Kaboli | first2=M. | last3=Förschler | first3=M.I. | last4=Nijman | first4=V. | last5=Chamani | first5=A. | last6=Tillier | first6=A. | last7=Prodon | first7=R. | last8=Pasquet | first8=E. | last9=Ericson | first9=P.G.P. | last10=Zuccon | first10=D. | year=2012 | title=Convergent evolution of morphological and ecological traits in the open-habitat chat complex (Aves, Muscicapidae: Saxicolinae) | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=65 | issue=1 | pages=35–45 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2012.05.011 | pmid=22634240| bibcode=2012MolPE..65...35A }} The species was therefore assigned to Myrmecocichla.{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | year=2016 | title=Chats, Old World flycatchers | work=World Bird List Version 6.2 | url=http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/chats/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union| access-date=20 May 2016 }}{{ cite book | last1=Clement | first1=Peter | last2=Rose | first2=Chris | year=2015 | title=Helm Identification Guides: Robins and Chats | location=London | publisher=Christopher Helm | isbn=978-1-4081-5597-4 | page=645 }}
Gallery
Mountain wheatear or mountain chat - female, Oenanthe monticola, at Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, Gauteng, South Africa (15187893041).jpg|{{center|female}}
Mountain wheatear or mountain chat - male, Oenanthe monticola, at Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, Gauteng, South Africa (15004138039).jpg|{{center|male with grey crown (nominate race)}}
Mountain wheatear or mountain chat - male, Oenanthe monticola, at Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, Gauteng, South Africa (14812373601).jpg|{{center|male with dusky crown (nominate race)}}
References
{{Reflist}}
- Ian Sinclair, Phil Hockey and Warwick Tarboton, SASOL Birds of Southern Africa (Struik 2002) {{ISBN|1-86872-721-1}}
External links
- [http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Myrmecocichla-monticola Xeno-canto: audio recordings of the mountain wheatear]
- Mountain chat - [http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/586.pdf Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds].
{{Taxonbar|from=Q672928}}
Category:Birds of Southern Africa