CENANTHE.
Chats about 6" long, allied to Thrushes and Redstarts; generally with upper tail coverts white; frequenting rocky or sandy localities in plains, mountains, or deserts; insecti vorous ; nest in holes in walls, on ground or in burrows ; eggs blue, sometimes faintly red spotted.
cEnanthe cenanthe cenanthe (L.). WHEATEAR. Fr. Cul-blanc ; Ger. Grauer Steinschmatzer ; Itul. Culbianco ; Swett. Stenskvhtta.
j summer. Above grey ; lores, ear coverts, wings, and apical third of tail black (central tail feathers two-thirds) ; fore head, supercilium, upper tail coverts, and basal part of tail white ; beneath reddish cream, under wing coverts and ancillaries black and white. Bill, legs and feet black. Wing j 92-too, ? 89-98.
Tarsus 25-28. Bill 11-12. Q resembles but brown above, and black elsewhere replaced by brown. In winter sexes much alike, wing coverts and secondaries broadly margined rufous.
Breeds.—British Isles ; Continental Europe N. to Finmark, and 70° in Russia and south to N. Spain and Portugal, Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, S. Russia ; through Siberia to Alaska. Migrates ; occurs on passage Egypt and N.W. Africa. Winters tropical Africa, Mesopotamia, S. Arabia.
CE. cenanthe argentea (Lonnberg). Wings longer than in typical form, 96 and over ; bill slightly longer, back paler grey, more white on forehead. (A doubtful race.) Preeds.—Transcaspia. Occurs Egypt on passage.
CE. cenanthe leucorrhoa (Gmelin). GREENLAND WHEATEAR. Browner above and more brightly coloured below. Larger.
Wing ,S ? 97-107. Tarsus 27-30. Bill 11-12.
.Breeds.—N.E. America, Greenland, and probably Iceland and Faroes. Occurs on passage British Isles, Azores, Morocco, Canaries (rare). Winters W. Africa, also in United States.
CE. cenanthe rostrata (Hemprich and Ehrenberg). Bill longer, 13-14 m.m. ; edges of wing coverts and secondaries in autumn very pale rufous.
Breeds.—Caucasus to N. Arabia. Occurs Egypt on passage, and in winter in E. Africa.
CE. cenanthe virago Meinertzhagen. Mantle more silvery. Bill large ; culmen 19-5-20. Wing 89-95. ? Back greyer than in typical ?. \Ving 87-89. Culmen 18. Young also grey above (Meinertzhagen). ? in this race closely resembles Breeds.—Crete (4000-8200 feet).
CE. cenanthe seebohmi (Dixon). ,S More white on forehead and eyebrow than in "cenanthe" ; entire throat, face, foreneck, and under wing coverts black. Wing 92-99.5 (H.). ? Above paler than typical ?.
Brecds.—Aures Mountains, S.E. Algeria ; also Atlas Mountains, C. and S.W. Morocco.
CE. cenanthe nivea (Weigold). Underparts almost pure white, and more white on forehead ; closely resembles "argentea" but bill mostly longer ; wing averages 95 mm, (A doubtful race.) Brceds.—Sierra Nevada (S. Spain).
CEnanthe deserti deserti (Temminck). DESERT WHEATEAR.
d Above and below sandy isabelline, face, throat, and wings black, upper tail coverts, inner margins of quills and basal third of tail white, rest of tail black ; under wing coverts and axillaries black and white. Bill, legs and feet black. Wing 87-92. Tarsus 25-26. Culmen 17-2o (H.). 9 paler, throat greyer, except in very old examples.
Resident.—Deserts of Egypt (east of Delta), Nubia, N. Arabia, and Palestine. Of rare occurrence in Europe.
deserti homoehroa, (Tristram). Head and neck redder isabelline. Wing d 84-89 (\V.).
Breeds.—Entire Sahara from Cape Blanco to Lower Egypt, west of Delta. Has occurred in Britain and Canary Islands.
co. deserti albifrons (Brandt). Rather larger, like "deserti" in colour but with more white on inner webs of quills. Wing d 92-101, 87-97 (W.). Tarsus 24-25. Bill 12.
Breeds.—S.W. Asia ; S. Caucasus to Thibet. Occurs Nubia and Somaliland in 'winter. Has occurred in Britain, Heligoland, Italy.
CEnanthe hispanica hispanica (L.). BLACK-EARED and BLACK-THROATED CHATS. Fr. Culblanc roux ; Ital. Monachella.
j summer. Crown, nape, scapulars (partly black) and back cream colour, rump and upper tail coverts white ; two central rectrices black, white at base, remainder white with broad black tips ; lores, orbital region, ear coverts, axillaries, upper and under wing coverts, and quills black ; throat or white ; underparts white with creamy tinge, under surface of quills greyish white. Wing d 88-94, Y 86-90. Tarsus 2o-23. Bill 10-12. In winter, creamy colour becomes cinnamon buff and also margins of wing coverts and secondaries. 9 General colour brownish buff, rump and upper tail coverts white, tinged buff, tips of tail, under wing coverts, and axillaries brown, throat never quite black (as in Eastern form), but feather bases only.
Breeds.—S.W. Europe ; Spain, Portugal, S. France, S. Austria, to W. Italy and Sicily ; also N.W. Africa (Morocco to Tunis). Winters W. tropical Africa. Casual in Britain.
CE. hispanica melanoleuca (Gfildenstadt). cs summer. Differs from typical. Crown, nape, back, upper tail coverts, and under parts pure white (slightly creamy on back in some), black of lores generally meeting at base of bill, throat black (extending further down than in "hispanica") or white, scapulars all black, black tips of rectrices generally narrower, but variable, occasionally absent ; under surface of quills, under wing coverts and axillaries almost black. In winter, crown, back, scapulars, margins of wing coverts and secondaries reddish brown ; under parts creamy buff, black of feathers of throat with pale tips. ? Crown, nape and scapulars grey brown, darker on ear coverts, rump and upper tail coverts white, tips of tail brown, chin and throat greyish buff, in some very dark, almost black ; beneath buff, darker on breast.
Breeds.—S.E. Europe, from Dalmatia through Balkans and Greece to S. Russia (Crimea), Asia Minor and Palestine. Occurs on passage in Egypt, S. Italy, and rarely N.W. Africa. Winters in Soudan and E. tropical Africa. Rare visitor Britain.
CEnanthe leucomela leucomela (Pallas). PIED WHEATEAR.
Crown, hind neck, rump, upper tail coverts, breast, abdomen and under tail coverts white, occasionally with faint buff tinge ; back, scapulars, wings, face, throat and chest black ; tail feathers white with black ends, central pair, basal third white, remainder black ; under wing coverts and axillaries black. Bill, legs and feet black. Wing cs 89-97, ? 87-95. Tarsus 22-24. Bill 11-12. After autumn moult head becomes brown and underparts more isabelline. ? Above light brown, rump and upper tail coverts white, throat greyish, chest browner, occasionally mottled with or almost black, under tail coverts buff. Some specimens have the throat white (" S. vittata ").
Breeds.—S. Russia, from Dobrudscha and Crimea to Caucasus, Volga Steppes, and Urals north to 53°, and across Siberia to China. Occurs on passage in Egypt ; winters N.E. Africa. Of rare occurrence Britain, Heligoland, Italy.
cEnanthe finschi finschi (Heuglin).
j summer. As in "leucomela" but back (not scapulars) white, under tail coverts salmon buff. Bill, legs and feet black.
Wing 85-90 (H.). Tarsus 23. Bill 13. After autumn moult head and neck greyish isabelline, tips of quills and tail white, and underparts vinous tinged. 9 Above light brown ; beneath vinous or salmon buff, throat mottled or almost pure black. Breeds.—Egypt east of Nile to Palestine and Armenia.
cE. finschi barnesi (Oates). d like " finschi " but larger.
Wing 87-95. Tarsus 25. Culmen 17-18 (II.) 9 like " finschi " but throat browner.
Breeds.—N. Caucasus to Kirghiz Steppes, Transcaspia, Persia and Afghanistan. Has occurred in Egypt.
CEnanthe isabellina (Cretzschmar).
WHEATEAR.
d 9 Above light brown, upper tail coverts white ; tail white, central feathers black ends about 35 m.m., others about 23 m.m. ; beneath isabelline, often reddish especially after moult ; under wing coverts and axillaries white. Bill, legs and feet black. Wing 97-106, Y 94-100. Tarsus 27-30. Bill 12-13.
Breeds.—S. Russian Steppes, through Siberia to N.\V. China ; also Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine. Occurs Egypt on passage ; winters N.\V. India to N.E. Africa. Rare visitor Britain, S. Tunis, S. Algeria.
cEnanthe xanthoprymna xanthoprymna (Hemprich and Ehrenberg).
d Above brown ; supercilium, basal part of tail and under parts white ; throat, face, apical part of tail, under wing coverts and axillaries black ; rump, upper and under tail coverts cinnamon. Bill, legs and feet black. Wing d 93.5, 9 91.5 (H.). Above brown ; upper tail coverts and basal part of tail cinnamon, passing into white towards the feather-roots ; beneath dull buff, dark on throat and car coverts.
Breeds.—Egypt, Nubia, Red Sea Coasts, S.W. Persia.
cEnanthe moesta (Lichtenstein). MOURNING WHEATEAR.
d Crown grey or pale brown ; back and scapulars smoky black ; outer margins of wing coverts and quills white ; tail dark brown, base ferruginous ; tail coverts reddish buff ; lures, face, throat, under wing coverts and axillaries black, breast and abdomen white. Bill, legs and feet black. 9 Above light brown, ?crown and upper tail coverts reddish buff, tail as in but terminals paler ; beneath white, often reddish, especially on breast. Wing 8 9o-99, y 85-94 (H.). Tarsus 27-30. Bill 15.
Residenf.—S. Algeria, S. Tunis, S. Tripoli to N.W. Egypt, Sahara and N. Arabia.
CEnanthe lugens lugens (Li ch ten stein).
8 Crown and nape white or greyish ; rump, upper tail coverts, underparts and inner webs of quills white ; lores, face, throat, back, scapulars, under wing coverts, and axillaries black ; under tail coverts reddish buff; tail white, central pair feathers black terminal half; others black at tip for about to m.m. Bill, legs and feet black. Wing 8* 91-96.5, ? 89-91. Tarsus 26. Culmen 18.5-20 (H.). ? like a, but black less intense.
Resident.—Deserts of Egypt and Nubia to N. Arabia and Palestine.
cE. lugens halophila (Tristram). 8 as in "lugens" but under tail coverts very pale buff almost white, and inner webs of quills white only on edges. ? differs from typical ? ; above light grey brown in place of black, throat generally grey (some times white or black).
Resident—Algeria and Tunisia, south of Atlas to about 23 N., Tripoli, Cyrenaica. Once occurred Egypt.
COnanthe leucura leucura (Gmelin). BLACK WHEATEAR.
8 Black, slightly tinged brown, rump and upper tail coverts white ; tail white, central pair of feathers distal half (3o m.m.) black, remainder tipped black (8-14 m.m.). Bill, legs and feet black. ? Brown in place of black. Wing 97-1o1, ? 9o-95. Tarsus 25-28. Bill 13-16.
Breeds.—S. France, and Italy to Genoa ; Spain and Portugal. Partial migrant. Has occurred Britain and Switzerland.
CE. leucura syenitica (Heuglin). 8 Dark brown-black, ends of tail feathers broader (12-15 m.m.), central pair 40 m.m. ? much browner than ? "leucura." Resident.—Tripoli, Tunisia (south of Atlas), S. Algeria, Moun tains of Morocco. Occurred once in Egypt, once Britain.
(E. leucura riggenbachi Black terminals to tail feathers still broader (15-20 m.m.), central pair (43 m.m.). Breeds.—W. Sahara, Rio de Oro.
bars and bases of tail feathers (except mid pair) white ; central pair tail feathers and terminal half of remainder blackish ; beneath, throat and breast reddish buff, abdomen dull white. Primaries to 1st about to coverts.
Bill, legs and feet black. Wing 71-7S, ? 71-76. Tarsus 2o-23. Bill 8-to. Supercilium buff; beneath yellowish white (sometimes reddish) with few spots on breast ; wing bars smaller.
Breeds.—British Isles ; Europe north to Finmark and Arch angel, south to Mountains of N. Spain, Italy, Sicily, Sardinia and Bulgaria ; Russia east to Urals and W. Siberia, south to Astrakhan and Uralsk. Migrates ; occurs Greece and Mediter ranean countries on passage, also Egypt and N.W. Africa. Winters in tropical Africa both E. and W.
S. rubetra spatzi (Erlanger). Feather edges above paler, more yellowish brown.
Breeds.—S. Dalmatia. Occurs Algeria on passage. Has been recorded from Kenya Colony in winter.
S. rubetra nosk (Tschusi). Larger (wing about 83); upper parts paler than "spatzi," more yellowish grey ; dark centres to feathers longer.
Breeds.—Caucasus. Occurs W. Persia on passage and in Uganda in winter.
Saxicola dacotim dacotim (Meade-Waldo).
8 Above dark brown ; lores, cheeks, and'ear coverts black, supercilium white ; beneath white with rusty patch on breast ; tail brown, no white at base ; 1st primary about to m.m. longer than coverts. Bill, legs and feet black. Wing 60-63. Tarsus 21-22. Culmen 14-15.5 (H.). ? Paler ; brown above, throat white, rest of underparts buff.
Resident.—Fuerteventura (E. Canary Islands).
S. daeotiw muriel Bannerman. a Above darker, more striated ; beneath, throat white, rest of underparts rusty buff. ? Paler buff below, cheeks and ear coverts light brown. Wing 65, ? 6o. Tarsus 23. Bill 1.
Resident.—Allegranza, Montana Clara (E. Canary Islands).
Saxicola torquata rubicola (L ). STONECHAT. Fr. Traquet patre ; Ger. Schwarzkelchen ; ital. Saltinpalo.
j winter. Above black with rusty brown edges to feathers, upper tail coverts white with black spots and brown edges ; wing patch and sides of neck white ; chin and throat black, buff tipped ; underparts chestnut, buff tipped, centre of abdomen pale buff ; no white on tail. Primaries emarginate 3rd to 6th ; ist primary 5-10 m.m. longer than coverts. In summer through wearing of feather tips, head, throat, and back almost black ; underparts brighter. ? Browner above, no white on tail coverts, less black on throat, no white patch on neck, underparts duller. Wing d 65-69, ? 6o-66. Tarsus 21-23. Bill S Breeds.—Continental Europe from Denmark, Germany (chiefly west of Elbe) and S.W. l'oland, south to Mediterranean, S. Russia, Asia Minor, and N.\V. Africa. Partial migrant ; occurs Egypt in winter.
The typical race "S. t. torquata" is S. African.
S. torquata hibernans (Hartert). Like " rubicola " but in autumn edges of feathers above darker, more red brown, and also darker below. In summer can only be distinguished by remains of feather tips.
Breeds.—British Isles, Portugal. Partial migrant ; has occurred south Spain in winter (Algeciras, Malaga).
S. torquata maura (Pallas).—Lighter above than " rubicola " ; upper tail coverts white without dark spots ; basal part of tail white.
Breeds.—Caucasus, Lower Ural to Orenburg, and N.W. Perm; also W. Asia. Rare Egypt on passage. \Vinters E. Africa and S. Arabia.
S. torquata indica, .(13lyth).—Tail as in "rubicola," but feather edges of upper parts lighter ; upper tail coverts white as in "maura." Breeds.—N.E.: Russia (Petchora), Urals to 6o°, W. and C. Asia. \Vinters in India and Afghanistan. Has twice occurred in Britain.