The latest data on the Stonechat Saxicola torquatus has found convincing reasons for recognising three
species: European Stonechat S. rubicola,
Eastern Stonechat S. Maurus and
African Stonechat S. torqatus. The
taxa breeding in the Caspian region, both of which winter in Saudi Arabia, were
revisited and after studying the type description and various museum specimens
it was concluded that the name variegatus
should not be applied to the taxon breeding north of the Caucasus but rather to
the population in eastern Turkey and Transcaucasia presently named armenicus. This means the former variegatus, northern Caspian population,
needed a new name with hemprichii
being the oldest available and valid name for the population. The paper also
called hemprichii (formerly variegatus) North Caspian Taxon (NCT)
and variegatus (formerly armenicus) South Caspian Taxon (SCT). The
northern population NCT has a very characteristic male plumage with white
portions on each side of the outer tail extending to half to three-quarters of
the tail feather length, similar to many Wheatears and Red-backed Shrike. This
can be seen easily when perched birds spread their tail or when birds fly but
on perched birds with tails closed it can often not be seen. NCT also has a
large unstreaked pale rump patch, buffish when fresh becoming white when
abraded. In comparison European Stonechat has a streaked rump with usually
limited white. Females are more difficult as they resemble both SCT and
nominate birds and often need the tail coverts to be lifted to see the white
(even in the hand), with a few females lacking any white at all. The South
Caspian Taxon is similar to NCT birds but is larger, although a number of
measurements overlap, has less white on the tail bases in male plumage
(normally one-third to half the tail feathers white) often not visible in
flight. Females invariably lack white in the tail. We caught a first year male
NCT Eastern Stonechat S. m. hemprichii
at Alba Marsh 28 November 2014 and studied the bird in the hand. It was sexed
as a male due to the dark axillaries and dark feathers on the throat when these
feathers were moved to expose the colour below. This is only the second
Stonechat we have caught with the first not assigned properly due to the fact I
did not lift the tail coverts to expose any white on the base of the tail
feathers that it appeared to lack. I would like to thank Yoav Perlman for
informing me of the need to lift the tail coverts to see the white on some
birds in the hand, allowing me to do this on this bird and any subsequent ones
we catch. Eastern Stonechat Saxicola
maurus is an uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor with NCT Saxicola
maurus hemprichii and STC Saxicola maurus variegatus occurring but
NCT birds being the commoner type. Migrants occur mainly from March to April
and September to November with many birds spending the winter where they are
often seen in open areas with scattered bushes and in reeds beds near wetland
areas as well as open fields.
