Amur Stonechat

Overview

Amur Stonechat (Saxicola stejnegeri) is a species of Chats, Old World Flycatchers (Muscicapidae) in the order Perching Birds (Passerines).

Scientific Classification

Genus: Saxicola; binomial: Saxicola stejnegeri; authority: (Parrot, 1908).

Distribution

Breeding range: the Palearctic. Non-breeding range: se Asia.

Conservation Status

This taxon is listed as Extant (living) in the IOC World Bird List.

Remarks

Split (IOC 2.4) based on Zink et al. (2009) mtDNA analysis, but may be premature; further resolution of this stonechat complex is needed. Reportedly has distinctive vocalizations (Opaev et al. 2018) and lack of intergradation with neighboring maurus (Hellström & Norevik 2014). Validity as a species supported by phylogenetic analysis which places it sister to S. leucurus (Zhao et al. 2023). Change English name from Stejneger's Stonechat to Amur Stonechat to align with Clements/eBird (2021).