| Luscinia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Adult malebluethroat (Luscinia svecica) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Luscinia T. Forster, 1817 |
| Type species | |
| Luscinia aedon[1] T. Forster, 1817 | |
| Species | |
Several, seetext | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Luscinia is agenus of smallishpasserinebirds, containing thenightingales and relatives. Formerly classed as members of thethrushfamilyTurdidae, they are now considered to beOld World flycatchers (Muscicapidae) of thechatsubfamily (Saxicolinae). The chats are a lineage of Old World flycatchers that hasevolved convergently to thrushes.
The wordLuscinia was used for nightingales and similar birds inClassical Latin (e.g. in the AD70sNaturalis Historia byPliny the Elder), if not earlier.Etymologically, it might be derived fromluscus (Latin for "half-blind", "half-understood" etc.) orclueō (Latin for "to be well-known") + (probably) Latincanō "to sing". Hence, it could be translated as "little-seen [as in the twilight] songster" or "famous songster".[2] The genusLuscinia was introduced by the English naturalistThomas Forster in 1817. Thetype species is thecommon nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos).[3][4]
Delimitation ofLuscinia versus the genusErithacus had been confused for long; species were rather indiscriminately placed in one or the other genus, orLuscinia was entirely merged intoErithacus. The genusLuscinia previously included many more species. A largemolecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 found that the genus did not represent amonophyletic group. Species were therefore reassigned to other genera leaving only three species remaining in the original genus. The same study showed that the white-bellied redstart, previously placed in themonotypicHodgsonius, belonged to the sameclade.[5][6]
Thespecies currently placed inLuscinia are:[5]
TheLuscinia species are stocky small birds, 13–16 cm long with an upright stance and a moderately short frequently cocked tail. They watch forinsects,worms and otherinvertebrates from a low perch, and feed mostly on the ground, hopping, with frequent stops, on their strong legs. They areterritorial during the breeding season, and most occur as far north as to bemigratory.[7]
In the two species named as nightingales, the sexes are similar. They are plain brown above, whitish below with light streaking, and have a rufous tail. In the otherLuscinia species, the male is much brighter than thecryptic, usually brownish-grey female. Males have a dark blue, black or brown back, and red, orange or blue on the throat and upper breast. Several have white or rufous patches on the sides of the tail, giving a pattern recalling that of the closely relatedwheatear (Oenanthe), or some of the less closely relatedMuscicapinae (e.g.red-breasted flycatcher,Ficedula parva). The songs of this genus are often complex and musical, especially in the "typical" nightingales.[7]
They are birds ofEurasia, occurring from thesubarctic to thetropical regions. They are plentiful intemperate regions, and many of the birds in this genus are stronglymigratory, wintering in tropicalAfrica,India orSoutheast Asia.[7]
The breedinghabitat is typically scrub or forest, and their cupnest is usually constructed low in a bush. The birds can be difficult to see in dense undergrowth, especially if not singing, but they may frequent somewhat more open habitats in their winter quarters.[7]
Fossil remains of a probableLuscinia resembling to the larger members of the genus have been found atPolgárdi inHungary. They date from theMessinianage, around 12 to 7.3million years ago (Ma) during theLate Miocene subepoch. ALate Pliocene fossil fromRębielice Królewskie (Poland), ofPiacenzian age (around 3 Ma), could be an ancestral bluethroat. A supposedSylviawarbler fossil from the lateGelasian ofBad Deutsch-Altenburg (Austria), about 2 Ma old, may be of aLuscinia instead; due to its recent age it probably belongs to a living species or its immediate ancestor.[8]
