Belongs within: Muscicapida.
Contains: Cercotrichas, Muscicapa, Melaenornis, Cyornis, Cossypha, Luscinia, Phoenicurus, Monticola, Saxicola, Oenanthe, Myophonus, Ficedula, Larvivora.
The Muscicapidae, Old World flycatchers and chats, are a diverse group of insectivorous birds found in Eurasia and Africa. Members of this family have commonly been divided between the more aerial Muscicapinae (Old World flycatchers) and more terrestrial Saxicolinae (chats), with the latter previously regarded as more closely related to the thrushes (Turdidae). However, recent phylogenetic studies do not resolve these two groups separately but have them intermingled (Jetz et al. 2012, Burleigh et al. 2015).
Notable members of the Muscicapidae include the European robin Erithacus rubecula, a small, stout bird with brown upperparts and a bright orange face and breast. A number of other Eurasian chats previously classified within the genus Erithacus are now placed in segregate genera such as Luscinia and Larvivora owing to polyphyly of the genus in the broader sense. Tarsiger, the bush robins, includes species with a relatively long, slender bill in which males often have blue upperparts. Enicurus, the forktails, is a long-tailed genus found in southern and eastern Asia. Brachypteryx, the shortwings, includes ground-dwelling species with long legs and short rounded wings also found in southeastern Asia.
Characters (The Internet Bird Collection): Very small to small birds with short bill wide at base and flattened dorsoventrally, wide gape and well-developed rictal bristles, small and rather weak legs and feet, short to medium-length tail; plumage often dull, predominantly grey or brown, males in some genera brightly coloured.
<==Muscicapidae [Muscicapinae, Saxicolinae]
|--+--CercotrichasBKB15
| `--+--AletheBKB15
| | |--A. castaneaBKB15
| | `--A. diademataBKB15
| `--+--+--Namibornis hereroBKB15
| | `--+--Humblotia flavirostrisJF06, BKB15
| | `--MuscicapaBKB15
| `--+--Bradornis infuscatusBKB15
| `--+--+--Empidornis semipartitusBKB15
| | `--MelaenornisBKB15
| `--+--Fraseria BKB15
| | |--F. cinerascensBKB15
| | `--F. ocreataAP21
| `--MyioparusBKB15
| |--M. griseigularisJT12
| `--M. plumbeusBKB15
`--+--+--+--MyiomelaJT12
| | | |--M. albiventrisJT12 [=Brachypteryx albiventrisBKB15]
| | | |--M. dianaAP21
| | | |--M. leucuraAP21 [=Notodela leucuraS89]
| | | `--M. majorJT12 [=Brachypteryx majorBKB15]
| | `--+--CyanoptilaBKB15
| | | |--C. cumatilisAP21 [=C. cyanomelana cumatilisVP89]
| | | `--C. cyanomelanaBKB15
| | `--EumyiasBKB15
| | | i. s.: E. albicaudatusJT12
| | | E. sordidusJT12
| | |--E. indigoBKB15
| | `--+--E. thalassinusBKB15
| | `--+--E. additusBKB15 [=Rhinomyias additusJT12]
| | `--E. panayensisBKB15
| `--+--+--‘Ficedula’ monilegerJT12
| | `--CyornisBKB15
| `--+--AnthipesBKB15
| | |--A. leucops [incl. Digenea albifrons Sharpe 1888, A. albifrons, D. leucops Sharpe 1888]S89
| | |--A. moniliger Wald. in Blyth 1875BKB15, S89 [=Digenea moniligerS89]
| | `--A. solitarisAP21
| `--Niltava Hodgson 1837BKB15, M87
| | i. s.: N. oatesiS89
| | N. rueckiFP64
| | N. sumatranaJT12
| |--+--N. macgrigoriaeBKB15
| | `--N. vividaBKB15
| `--+--N. grandisBKB15
| `--+--N. davidiBKB15
| `--N. sundaraBKB15
`--+--+--SheppardiaBKB15
| | |--+--S. montanaJT12
| | | `--+--S. aurantiithoraxJT12
| | | `--S. loweiJT12
| | `--+--+--S. cyornithopsisJT12
| | | `--+--S. aequatorialisJT12
| | | `--S. gabelaJT12
| | `--+--S. bocageiJT12
| | `--+--S. gunningiJT12
| | `--S. sharpeiJT12
| `--+--Erithacus Cuvier 1800BKB15, M02 (see below for synonymy)
| | |--E. brunneusG73
| | |--E. cyaneVP89
| | |--E. rubecula (Linnaeus 1758) [=Motacilla rubecula, E. rubeculus]CC10
| | `--E. sibilansVP89
| `--+--+--CossyphaBKB15
| | `--PseudaletheBKB15
| | |--+--P. choloensisBKB15 [=Alethe choloensisJT12]
| | | `--P. fuelleborniBKB15 [=Alethe fuelleborniJT12]
| | `--+--P. poliocephalaBKB15 [=Alethe poliocephalaJT12]
| | `--P. poliophrysBKB15 [=Alethe poliophrysJT12]
| `--+--+--Pogonocichla stellataBKB15
| | `--+--Cossyphicula robertiBKB15
| | `--Swynnertonia swynnertoniBKB15
| `--+--CichladusaBKB15
| | |--C. arquataJT12
| | |--C. guttataBKB15
| | `--C. ruficaudaJT12
| `--StiphrornisBKB15
| |--S. erythrothoraxBKB15
| `--+--S. gabonensisBKB15
| `--+--S. sanghensisBKB15
| `--S. xanthogasterBKB15
`--+--+--LusciniaJT12
| `--+--PhoenicurusBKB15
| `--+--MonticolaBKB15
| `--+--SaxicolaBKB15
| `--+--OenantheBKB15
| `--+--+--*Campicoloides bifasciatusB93 (see below for synonymy)
| | `--CercomelaBKB15
| | |--C. schlegeliiBKB15
| | | |--C. s. schlegeliiB93
| | | `--C. s. pollux (Hartlaub 1865) [=Saxicola pollux]B93
| | `--+--C. sinuataBKB15
| | `--C. tractracBKB15
| `--+--+--‘Myrmecocichla’ cinnamomeiventrisJT12
| | `--‘Cercomela’ sordidaBKB15
| `--+--ThamnolaeaBKB15
| | |--T. cinnamomeiventrisBKB15
| | | |--T. c. cinnamomeiventrisS05
| | | `--T. c. albiscapulata (Rüppell 1837) (see below for synonymy)S05
| | |--T. coronataAP21
| | `--T. leucocephalusVP89
| `--MyrmecocichlaBKB15
| | i. s.: M. collarisAP21
| | M. formicivoraJT12
| | M. tholloniJT12
| |--+--M. aethiopsBKB15
| | `--M. monticola Vieillot 1818AP21, ICZN96 (see below for synonymy)
| `--+--M. nigraBKB15 [incl. M. stoehri Sclater ex Brooke 1993 (n. n.)B93]
| `--+--M. arnottiBKB15
| `--M. melaenaBKB15
`--+--+--+--Cinclidium frontaleBKB15
| | `--MyophonusBKB15
| `--+--VauriellaBKB15
| | |--V. albigularisAP21
| | |--V. goodfellowiAP21
| | |--V. gularisAP21
| | `--V. insignisBKB15
| `--CalliopeBKB15
| |--C. calliope (Pall. 1776) (see below for synonymy)M01
| |--C. obscuraAP21
| |--C. pectardensAP21 [=Luscinia pectardensJT12]
| |--C. pectoralisBKB15 [=Erithacus pectoralisG73]
| `--C. tschebaiewiAP21
`--+--Enicurus Temminck 1822BKB15, B94 [=Henicurus (l. c.)B94; Enicurinae, Henicurinae]
| | i. s.: E. borneensisAP21
| | E. immaculatusJT12
| | E. sinensis Gould 1865 (see below for synonymy)S89
| | E. velatusJT12
| |--+--E. schistaceusBKB15
| | `--E. scouleriBKB15
| `--+--E. ruficapillusBKB15
| `--+--E. leschenaultiBKB15
| `--E. maculatusBKB15
`--+--+--FicedulaBKB15
| `--+--+--‘Rhinomyias’ insignisJT12
| | `--Heinrichia calligynaBKB15
| `--+--‘Cinclidium’ dianaBKB15
| `--‘Cinclidium’ leucurumBKB15
`--+--TarsigerBKB15
| | i. s.: T. rufilatusAP21
| |--+--T. cyanurusBKB15 [=Erithacus cyanurusT89, Ianthia cyanuraG73]
| | `--T. hyperythrusBKB15
| `--+--T. indicusBKB15
| `--+--T. chrysaeusBKB15
| `--T. johnstoniaeBKB15
`--+--LarvivoraBKB15
`--Brachypteryx Horsfield 1822BKB15, B94 [Brachypteryginae]
|--B. hyperythraJT12
|--B. leucophrisAP21
|--B. montanaBKB15
`--B. stellataJT12
Muscicapidae incertae sedis:
Xenocopsychus ansorgeiJT12
Pinarornis plumosusJT12
DioptrornisJT12
|--D. brunneusJT12
|--D. chocolatinusJT12
`--D. fischeriJT12
Oedon luscinia (Linnaeus 1758)CC10 (see below for synonymy)
RhinomyiasJT12
|--R. albigularisJT12
|--R. brunneatusJT12
|--R. colonusJT12
|--R. goodfellowiJF06
|--R. gularisJT12
`--R. oscillansJT12
ChamaetylasAP21
|--C. choloensisAP21
|--C. fuelleborniAP21
|--C. poliocephalaAP21
`--C. poliophrysAP21
Leonardina woodiAP21
Heteroxenicus stellatusAP21
SholicolaAP21
|--S. albiventrisAP21
`--S. majorAP21
Muscicapella hodgsoniAP21
EmarginataAP21
|--E. schlegeliiAP21
|--E. sinuataAP21
`--E. tractracAP21
Pinarochroa sordidaAP21
Calliope calliope (Pall. 1776) [=Motacilla calliope, Erithacus calliope; incl. Calliope camtschatkensis Strickl. 1841]M01
*Campicoloides bifasciatusB93 [=Saxicola bifasciatusBKB15, Oenanthe bifasciataB93; incl. S. spectabilis Hartlaub 1865B93]
Enicurus sinensis Gould 1865 [=E. chinensis, Henicurus chinensis, H. sinensis; incl. H. speciosus Swinh. 1861 (preoc.)]S89
Erithacus Cuvier 1800BKB15, M02 [incl. Aedon Forster 1814B94, Cyanecula Brehm 1828B94, Philomela Swainson 1831 non Link 1806B94; Aedoninae, Cyaneculinae, Erithacinae, Philomelinae]
Myrmecocichla monticola Vieillot 1818AP21, ICZN96 [=Oenanthe monticolaBKB15; incl. Saxicola castor Hartlaub 1865B93, Motacilla montana Wilkes 1817 (nom. rej.)ICZN96]
Oedon luscinia (Linnaeus 1758)CC10 [=Motacilla lusciniaCC10, Daulias lusciniaCC10, Philomela lusciniaG42, Sylvia lusciniaF17; incl. Luscinia aedonF17]
Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris albiscapulata (Rüppell 1837) [=Saxicola albiscapulata; incl. S. humeralis ms, S. rufiventris ms]S05
*Type species of generic name indicated
References
[AP21] Arlott, N., & B. van Perlo. 2021. Collins Birds of the World. William Collins.
[B94] Bock, W. J. 1994. History and nomenclature of avian family-group names. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 222: 1–281.
[B93] Brooke, R. K. 1993. Annotated catalogue of the Aves type specimens in the South African Museum. Annals of the South African Museum 102 (10): 327–349.
[BKB15] Burleigh, J. G., R. T. Kimball & E. L. Braun. 2015. Building the avian tree of life using a large-scale, sparse supermatrix. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 84: 53–63.
[CC10] Checklist Committee (OSNZ). 2010. Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand, Norfolk and Macquarie Islands, and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica 4th ed. Ornithological Society of New Zealand and Te Papa Press: Wellington.
[FP64] Fisher, J., & R. T. Peterson. 1964. The World of Birds: A comprehensive guide to general ornithology. Macdonald: London.
[F17] Forster, T. 1817. A synoptical catalogue of British birds; intended to identify the species mentioned by different names in several catalogues already extant. Forming a book of reference to observations on British ornithology. Nichols, Son, and Bentley: London.
[G73] Gauntlett, F. M. 1973. Notes on some Kashmir birds. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 69 (3): 591–615.
[G42] Gulliver, G. 1842. Observations on the semen and seminal tubes of Mammalia and birds. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 10: 95–102.
[ICZN96] ICZN. 1996. Nine specific names of southern Afrotropical birds conserved. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 53: 292–294.
[JT12] Jetz, W., G. H. Thomas, J. B. Joy, K. Hartmann & A. Ø. Mooers. 2012. The global diversity of birds in space and time. Nature 491: 444–448.
[JF06] Jønsson, K. A., & J. Fjeldså. 2006. A phylogenetic supertree of oscine passerine birds. Zoologica Scripta 35: 149–186.
[M01] Madarász, J. 1901. Madarak [Vögel]. In: Horváth, G. (ed.) Zichy Jenő Gróf Harmadik Ázsiai Utazása [Dritte Asiatische Forschungsreise des Grafen Eugen Zichy] vol. 2. Zichy Jenő Gróf Harmadik Ázsiai Utazásának Állattani Eredményei [Zoologische Ergebnisse der Dritten Asiatischen Forschungsreise des Grafen Eugen Zichy] pp. 21–39. Victor Hornyánszky: Budapest, and Karl W. Hierseman: Leipzig.
[M87] Mayr, E. 1987. The status of subjective junior homonyms. Systematic Zoology 36 (1): 85–86.
[M02] Mlíkovský, J. 2002. Cenozoic Birds of the World. Part 1: Europe. Ninox Press: Praha.
[S89] Salvadori, T. 1889. Viaggio di Leonardo Fea nella Birmania e nelle regioni vicine. XIX.—Uccelli raccolti nei Monti Carin a nord-est di Tounghoo, nel Pegù presso Rangoon e Tounghoo e nel Tenasserim presso Malewoon. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, Serie 2a, 7: 369–438.
[S05] Steinheimer, F. D. 2005. Eduard Rüppel’s avian types at the Natural History Museum, Tring (Aves). Senckenbergiana Biologica 85 (2): 233–264.
[T89] Takeshita, N. 1989. Nihon no Yachoo. Kogakukan: Tokyo.
[VP89] Viney, C., & K. Phillipps. 1989. Birds of Hong Kong 5th ed. Government Printer: Hong Kong.