Brown rock chat

Brown Rock Chat / Indian Chat
Conservation status
	Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Muscicapidae
Genus:	Cercomela
Species:	C. fusca
Binomial name
	Cercomela fusca; (Blyth, 1851)

The Brown Rock Chat or the Indian Chat is a bird in the chat (Saxicolinae) subfamily that is resident in Pakistan and northwest India.

It is a ground feeding bird, like most chats; in fact, chats are the only ground feeding subfamily in the Old World flycatchers family (Muscicapidae), until recently they were in the thrush (Turdidae) family.

Distribution

West Pakistan and northwest India south to the Narmada river, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar to West Bengal.

Local Names: Dauma (Hindi Uttar Pradesh); Shama (Hindi Madhya Pradesh). Kalo patharal piddo (Gujarat).

Description

Appearance: Slightly larger than the Sparrow (ca. 18 cm), this is a reddish brown bird, brown above, and rufous brown below, with darker wings and blackish tail. It is similar to the Indian Robin in appearance, but does not have the reddish chestnut vent (patch under the tail). It may also be confused with the female Blue Rock Thrush in flight^[1].

Habitat: Rocky hills, ravines, ruins, and in suburban compounds. Seen singly or in pairs.

Behaviour: Feeds on the ground. Usually tame and confiding.

Voice: A short whistling chee while bobbing the upper body. Sweet thrush-like song in breeding season. Is a good mimic.^[1]

Food: Ground Insects, occasionally caught on the wing.

Nesting

Season: February to August.
Nest: a rough cup made from root fibers etc., placed in hollow in wall or a rock crevice.
Eggs: 3 or 4, pale blue with rusty specks and spots.
Chores: Female only incubates. Up to three broods may be raised in a season.

References

^ ^a ^b Ali, Salim (1996). The book of Indian Birds, Twelfth (Centenary) edition. Bombay Natural History Society/Oxford University Press. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |address= ignored (|location= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

[ali-daniel-1] Ali, Salim (1996). The book of Indian Birds, Twelfth (Centenary) edition. Bombay Natural History Society/Oxford University Press. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |address= ignored (|location= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

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