Luscinia svecica

Luscinia svecica, Photo: Michael Lahanas

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Telluraves
Cladus: Australaves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Infraordo: Passerida
Superfamilia: Muscicapoidea

Familia: Muscicapidae
Genus: Luscinia
Species: Luscinia svecica
Subspecies: L. s. abbotti – L. s. cyanecula – L. s. kobdensis – L. s. magna – L. s. namnetum – L. s. pallidogularis – L. s. przevalskii – L. s. saturatior – L. s. svecica – L. s. volgae
Name

Luscinia svecica (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms

Motacilla svecica (protonym)
Erithacus svecica
Cyanecula svecica

References

Systema Naturae ed.10, 1: 187.

Vernacular names
беларуская: Варакушка
български: Синьогушка
বাংলা: নীলগলা ফিদ্দা
brezhoneg: Bronnlaz
català: Cotxa blava
čeština: Slavík modráček
чӑвашла: Кăвак пĕсехе
dansk: Blåhals
Deutsch: Blaukehlchen
English: Bluethroat
Esperanto: Blugorĝulo
español: Pechiazul
euskara: Papourdin
فارسی: گلوآبی
suomi: Sinirinta
Nordfriisk: Bläbük
français: Gorge-bleue à miroir
Frysk: Blauboarstke
galego: Papoazul
עברית: כחול החזה
magyar: Kékbegy
հայերեն: Սոխակ կապտափող
italiano: Pettazzurro
日本語: オガワコマドリ
lietuvių: Mėlyngurklė
Nederlands: blauwborst
norsk nynorsk: Blåstrupe
norsk: Blåstrupe
polski: Podróżniczek
português: Pisco-de-peito-azul
русский: Варакушка
slovenčina: Slávik modrák
svenska: Blåhake
Türkçe: Gökgerdan
中文: 蓝点颏

The bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) 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 European species, are often called chats.

It is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in wet birch wood or bushy swamp in Europe and across the Palearctic with a foothold in western Alaska. It nests in tussocks or low in dense bushes. It winters in the Iberian Peninsula, the northern half of Africa, and in southern Asia (among others including the Indian subcontinent).

The bluethroat bird is similar in size to the European robin at 13–14 cm. It is plain brown above except for the distinctive black tail with red side patches. It has a strong white supercilium. Despite the distinctive appearance of the males, recent genetic studies show only limited variation between the forms, and confirm that this is a single species.[2] Moults begins in July after breeding and are completed in 40–45 days, before the birds migrate.[3]

The male has a varied and very imitative song.[4] Its call is a typical chat chack noise.
Subspecies
Breeding distribution of the bluethroat subspecies

See the Wikispecies page.

Females of all subspecies usually have just a blackish crescent on an otherwise cream throat and breast. Newly fledged juveniles are freckled and spotted dark brown above.
Etymology
Calling

The genus name Luscinia is Latin for the common nightingale. The specific epithet svecica is from Neo-Latin Suecicus meaning "Swedish". The colours of the male's breast were thought to evoke the Swedish flag, the yellow in the flag being more orange hued in the 17th and 18th centuries.[5]

References

BirdLife International. (2019). "Cyanecula svecica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T22709707A137567006. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22709707A137567006.en. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
Zink RM, RM; Drovetski SV; Questiau S; Fadeev IV; Nesterov EV; Westberg MC; Rohwer S. (2003). "Recent evolutionary history of the bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) across Eurasia" (PDF). Molecular Ecology. 12 (11): 3069–75. Bibcode:2003MolEc..12.3069Z. doi:10.1046/j.1365-294X.2003.01981.x. PMID 14629386. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2005-04-04.
RSPB Handbook of British Birds (2014). UK ISBN 978-1-4729-0647-2.
Metzmacher M. (2008) Les Grillons, muses de la Gorgebleue à miroir blanc (Luscinia svecica cyanecula) ? Parcs & Réserves, 63 : 17-19.

Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London, United Kingdom: Christopher Helm. pp. 233, 375. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.

External links

Bluethroat videos, photos & sounds on the Internet Bird Collection
Ageing and sexing (PDF; 3.4 MB) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze
Information and pictures about the Bluethroat in the Netherlands
Metzmacher M. (2008) Les Grillons, muses de la Gorgebleue à miroir blanc (Luscinia svecica cyanecula) ? Parcs & Réserves, 63 : 17-19. (in French)