Przevalski’s Stonechat Saxicola maurus przewalskii has more extensive chestnut underparts than Amur StonechatS. stejnegeri and Siberian Stonechat S. m. maurus. Przevalski’s Stonechat breeds Tibetan Plateau to central and southwest China. Winters Yunnan, Guangxi, and Southeast Asia. Photo: male near Nabang (24.730482, 97.558070), Yunnan, elev. 210 m (690 ft.), January. (Craig Brelsford)Male Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus maurus has a less prominent neck collar than Amur StonechatS. stejnegeri. Breast has brighter rufous wash and black head is less clean (has more brown tips). Nominate breeds Finland to western Mongolia, in China in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Shaanxi (MacKinnon 2022). Altai Prefecture (48.109420, 87.110878), Xinjiang, elev. 670 m (2,200 ft.), May. (Craig Brelsford)Przevalski’s Stonechat S. m. przewalskii showing rich chestnut underparts. L: Ruili, Yunnan, February. R: Xishuangbanna Prefecture (21.496110, 101.650512), Yunnan, elev. 720 m (2,360 ft.), January. (Craig Brelsford)Even a relatively colorful Amur Stonechat (R) has less bright and less extensive rufous coloration than a typical Przevalski’s Stonechat (L). Note also dirtier black head of Przevalski’s Stonechat and less prominent white collar. Przevalski’s: Xishuangbanna Prefecture (21.496110, 101.650512), Yunnan, elev. 720 m (2,360 ft.), January. Amur: Lesser Yangshan Island (30.644197, 122.057388), Zhejiang, China, April. (Craig Brelsford)Female Amur Stonechat (L) and Przevalski’s Stonechat (R) show similar difference in underpart coloration to males. Amur Stonechat shows faint rufous-orange, Przevalski’s richer chestnut. Winter ranges of Amur and Przevalski’s meet in south China around Guangxi. Amur: near Bawangling Reserve (19.111472, 109.091925), Hainan, China, elev. 170 m (560 ft.), January. Przevalski’s: Ruili, Yunnan, February. (Craig Brelsford)Female Saxicola chats. L–R: Pied Bush ChatS. caprata burmanicus, Grey Bush ChatS. ferreus ferreus, and Przevalski’s Stonechat S. maurus przewalskii. L: Ruili, Yunnan, February. C: Laifengshan National Forest Park (25.011810, 98.480247) Tengchong, Yunnan, elev. 1800 m (5,890 ft.), January. R: Nabang (24.730322, 97.558462), Yunnan, elev. 210 m (680 ft.), January. (Craig Brelsford)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Collar, N. J. Family Turdidae (Thrushes). Pp. 781–2 in: del Hoyo, J., A. Elliot, and D. Christie, eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 10. Cuckoo-shrikes to Thrushes. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, 2005.
MacKinnon, John. Guide to the Birds of China. Oxford University Press, 2022.
