The scrub robins or bush chats are medium-sized insectivorous birds in the genus Cercotrichas. They were formerly considered to be in the thrush family, (Turdidae), but are more often now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher family, (Muscicapidae). They are not closely related to the Australian scrub-robins, genus Drymodes in the family Petroicidae.

The genus name Cercotrichas is from Ancient Greek kerkos, "tail" and trikhas, "thrush".

Scrub robin

Scrub robins are mainly African species of open woodland or scrub, which nest in bushes or on the ground, but the rufous-tailed scrub robin also breeds in southern Europe and east to Pakistan.

Scrub robin

The genus contains the following species:

Scrub robin

Karoo scrub robin, Cercotrichas coryphaeus

Forest scrub robin, Cercotrichas leucosticta

Bearded scrub robin, Cercotrichas quadrivirgata

Miombo scrub robin, Cercotrichas barbata

Black scrub robin, Cercotrichas podobe

Rufous-tailed scrub robin, Cercotrichas galactotes

Kalahari scrub robin, Cercotrichas paena

Brown-backed scrub robin, Cercotrichas hartlaubi

White-browed scrub robin, Cercotrichas leucophrys

Brown scrub robin, Cercotrichas signata

References

Further reading