| White-throated robin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| female and male | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Irania de Filippi, 1863 |
| Species: | I. gutturalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Irania gutturalis (Guérin-Méneville, 1843) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Thewhite-throated robin (Irania gutturalis), orirania, is a small,sexually dimorphic, migratorypasserinebird.[2] The vernacular and genus nameIrania alludes toIran, itstype locality, while the specific namegutturalis isMedieval Latin for "of the throat".[3] It breeds in western Asia and overwinters in East Africa.
It was formerly classed as a member of thethrush family, Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be anOld World flycatcher, family Muscicapidae. It, and similar passerinespecies, are often calledchats.
This species is larger than theEuropean robin, having a length of 16 centimetres (6.3 in) and awingspan of 28 centimetres (11 in).[4] The breeding male has lead-grey upperparts, a black face with a white throat andsupercilium, and orange underparts. The tail is black, as is the strong bill. Females are plainer, mainly grey apart from a black tail, hints of orange on the flanks, and some white throat streaks.
The male's song is a fast twittering, given from a bush or in flight. The call of this species is achis-it double note, like that of thepied wagtail.
ّWhite-throated robinisinsectivorous. In addition toinsects andfruit, the white-throated robin has been observedforaging for smallinvertebrates on the ground or in low vegetation, particularly during the breeding season when protein-rich prey is important for chick development.[4]
It is amigratory species, breeding from Turkey to Afghanistan in western Asia, and wintering in East Africa. In East Africa they are found in closed thicket in dry country, typicallyAcacia-Commiphora woodland on the dry central plateau. Small numbers reach theUsangu Plains ofRuaha National Park inTanzania, which is normally their southern limit. In dry years however, some may move still further south, and reach moister uplands at 1,600 metres.[5] It is also a very rare vagrant toEurope.
The white-throated robin's breeding habitat is dry rocky slopes with some bushes, often at some altitude. It nests in a shrub, laying 4-5eggs.
