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Difference between revisions of "Common Nightingale" - BirdForum Opus

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;Luscinia megarhynchos
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'''Alternative names: Rufous Nightingale; Western Nightingale'''
[[Image:Common_Nightingale.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Nigel Blake <br> Location...Little Paxton]]
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[[Image:Common_Nightingale.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Nigelblake|Nigel Blake}} <br /> Little Paxton, [[Cambridgeshire]], May 2006]]
 
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;[[:Category:Luscinia|Luscinia]] megarhynchos
==Identification==
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==Identification==
Subspecies The 3 races found in the Western Palearctic differ slightly in general colour and size with the richer coloured and shorter-winged nominate race in the west becoming gradually paler and longer-winged towards the east where races africana and hafizi occur. Much intergradation occurs and only extreme examples are separable. Race hafizi has been recorded as a vagrant in Britain. <br>
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A grey-brown chat (16 - 17cm)
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* Warm brown above
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* Rusty-brown tail and rump
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* Whitish below with sandy-buff breast and flanks
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* Prominent large black eye with pale narrow eyering
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* Indistinctive grey [[Topography#Heads|supercilium]]
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====Similar Species====
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The warm colour and the rusty-red tail are good fieldmarks to distinguish from the similar [[Thrush Nightingale]]<sup>[[#References|3]]</sup>. However both species are easily told apart by song.
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
Breeds in southern England and from Iberia and France east to central Poland, Hungary, the Balkans and Greece, also in the Ukraine, Caucasus and northern Turkey, and parts of the Middle East. Breeds on most larger Mediterranean islands and the coastal strip of North-West Africa. First breeding for Malta was in 1995. <br>
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Breeds in southern [[England]] and from [[Iberia]] and [[France]] east to central [[Poland]], [[Hungary]], the [[Balkans]] and [[Greece]], also in the [[Ukraine]], [[Caucasus]] and northern [[Turkey]], and parts of the [[Middle East]]. Breeds on most larger Mediterranean islands and the coastal strip of North-West [[Africa]]. First breeding for [[Malta]] was in 1995. <br />
Migratory, leaving breeding areas in late July-early October and passing through the southern half of the Region to winter in sub-Saharan Africa and returning from early April-mid May.  
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The breeding range extends outside Europe into [[Iran]], [[Kazakhstan]], [[Mongolia]], [[China]] and [[Afghanistan]]<sup>[[#References|2]]</sup>. <br />
 
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Migratory, leaving breeding areas in late July-early October and passing through the southern half of the Region to winter in sub-Saharan [[Africa]] and returning from early April-mid May.  
Vagrant to Iceland and Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.  
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[[Image:D3A 5240 800.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|AJDH|AJDH}}<br />Al Khobar, [[Saudi Arabia]], June 2010]]
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Vagrant to [[Iceland]] and [[Ireland]], [[Norway]], [[Sweden]], [[Finland]] and [[Nepal]].  
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
The Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), also known as Rufous Nightingale and Common Nightingale, is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae. It belongs to a group of more terrestrial species, often called chats.
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Like all species of the genus [[:Category:Luscinia|Luscinia]] it was formerly placed in the thrush Familiy [[:Category:Turdidae|Turdidae]].
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====Subspecies====
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Clements<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup> accepts three subspecies:
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* ''L. m. megarhynchos'' found in north-western [[Africa]], [[Europe]] to central [[Turkey]] and the eastern Mediterranean
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* ''L. m. africana'' found in the [[Caucasus]], eastern [[Turkey]] and to [[Iran]]
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* ''L. m. golzii'' from eastern [[Iran]] to [[Kazakhstan]], [[Mongolia]], [[China]] and [[Afghanistan]] (formerly ''hafizi'')
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The races differ only slightly in colour and size. They are not always separable.<br />
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
Found in deciduous woodland, usually around edges or clearings, and especially where coppicing occurs. Also in copses, large gardens and on farmland with hedgerows and orchards, sometimes near water.
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The habitat is varying through the range of this species. In W and N Europe it prefers open woodland with thickets, usually near water. In S Europe also dry maquis, edges of broadleaf forest without water or pinewoods with rich undergrowth are taken.<sup>[[#References|2]]</sup>
 
 
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
The Nightingale is slightly larger than the European Robin, at 15-16.5 cm length. It is plain brown above except for the reddish tail. It is buff to white below. Sexes are similar.
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[[Image:Nightingale 10.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile, subspecies ''megarhynchos'' <br />Photo &copy; by {{user|bievreJJ|bievreJJ}}<br />Sillans, Plaine de Bièvre, Isère, [[France]], 19 July 2020]]
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====Diet====
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The diet includes insects.
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====Vocalisation====
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The male sings at night.
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{{ Audio|Luscinia megarhynchos (song).mp3 }}
  
Nightingales are named so because they frequently sing at night as well as during the day. The name has been used for well over 1,000 years, being highly recognizable even in its Anglo-Saxon form - 'nihtingale'. It means 'night songstress'. Early writers assumed the female sang, whereas of course it is the male. The male Nightingale is known for his singing, to the extent that human singers are sometimes admiringly referred to as nightingales; the song is loud, with an impressive range of whistles, trills and gurgles. Its song is particularly noticeable at night because few other birds are singing. This is why its name (in several languages) includes "night". Only unpaired males sing regularly at night, and nocturnal song is likely to serve attracting a mate. Singing at dawn, during the hour before sunrise, is assumed to be important to defend the territory. Nightingales sing even more loudly in urban or near-urban environments, in order to overcome the background noise. The most characteristic feature of the song is a loud whistling crescendo, absent from the song of Thrush Nightingale. It has a frog-like alarm call.
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug19}}#{{Ref-HBWVol10}}#Jonsson, L. 1992. Birds of Europe. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-5238-1
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==External Links==
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{{GSearch|"Luscinia megarhynchos" {{!}} "Common Nightingale" {{!}} "Rufous Nightingale" {{!}} "Western Nightingale"}}
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<br />
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{{VSearch|"Luscinia megarhynchos" {{!}} "Common Nightingale" {{!}} "Rufous Nightingale" {{!}} "Western Nightingale"}}
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{{GS-checked}}1
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<br />
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<br />
  
 
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Luscinia]] [[Category:Bird Songs]] [[Category:Videos]]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Habitat ==Bird Song==
 
<flashmp3>Luscinia megarhynchos (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
 
''[[Media:Luscinia megarhynchos (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 
==External Links==
 
*[http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showgallery.php?si=Luscinia+megarhynchos&perpage=12&sort=1&cat=all&ppuser=&[email protected]&password=&x=16&y=7 View more images of Common Nightingale in the gallery]
 
[[Category:Birds]]
 

Latest revision as of 12:05, 19 June 2023

Alternative names: Rufous Nightingale; Western Nightingale

Photo by Nigel Blake
Little Paxton, Cambridgeshire, May 2006
Luscinia megarhynchos

Identification

A grey-brown chat (16 - 17cm)

  • Warm brown above
  • Rusty-brown tail and rump
  • Whitish below with sandy-buff breast and flanks
  • Prominent large black eye with pale narrow eyering
  • Indistinctive grey supercilium

Similar Species

The warm colour and the rusty-red tail are good fieldmarks to distinguish from the similar Thrush Nightingale3. However both species are easily told apart by song.

Distribution

Breeds in southern England and from Iberia and France east to central Poland, Hungary, the Balkans and Greece, also in the Ukraine, Caucasus and northern Turkey, and parts of the Middle East. Breeds on most larger Mediterranean islands and the coastal strip of North-West Africa. First breeding for Malta was in 1995.
The breeding range extends outside Europe into Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China and Afghanistan2.
Migratory, leaving breeding areas in late July-early October and passing through the southern half of the Region to winter in sub-Saharan Africa and returning from early April-mid May.

Photo by AJDH
Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, June 2010

Vagrant to Iceland and Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Nepal.

Taxonomy

Like all species of the genus Luscinia it was formerly placed in the thrush Familiy Turdidae.

Subspecies

Clements1 accepts three subspecies:

The races differ only slightly in colour and size. They are not always separable.

Habitat

The habitat is varying through the range of this species. In W and N Europe it prefers open woodland with thickets, usually near water. In S Europe also dry maquis, edges of broadleaf forest without water or pinewoods with rich undergrowth are taken.2

Behaviour

Juvenile, subspecies megarhynchos
Photo © by bievreJJ
Sillans, Plaine de Bièvre, Isère, France, 19 July 2020

Diet

The diet includes insects.

Vocalisation

The male sings at night.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and D Christie, eds. 2005. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 10: Cuckoo-Shrikes to Thrushes. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334726
  3. Jonsson, L. 1992. Birds of Europe. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-5238-1

External Links


GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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