Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus) - 13 January 2013 - Hat Chao Samran, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand. Photo © 2013 Joseph Morlan


The official Thailand checklist and IOC split stejnegeri (under the English name "Eastern Stonechat" and "Stejneger's Stonechat" respectively) from the other races of Siberian Stonechat noting that stejnegeri is the basal clade.

However S. m. przevalskii which occurs in northeastern Thailand as a breeder has never been sampled genetically. It is unknown whether it is more closely related to maurus or to stejnegeri. Przevalskii is characterized by slightly larger size and having the rufous underparts extend to the belly. Some information on distinguishing stejnegeri from maurus is here.

Stonechats were formerly (e.g. HBW) classified in the thrush family (Turdidae) but have since been moved to a greatly expanded Old World Flycatcher family (Muscicapidae).

Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LX5 | Nikon FieldScope III | 30XWA |hand-held (no adapter).
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