It is true that within the nightingale species, this bird is quite singish. But there is one in particular, which is one of the best singers of the species, and is known as a Rufous-tailed Robin.
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Where does this species live?
The Rufous-tailed Robin, also known as Swinhoe’s robin or larvivora sibilans, belongs to the muscicapidae family and is a rather frightening bird that is usually well camouflaged.
It extends from southern Siberia and the Sea of Okhotsk to southern China and southeast Asia, being a very rare bird to see in Europe.
And what does it look like?
In fact, it is quite similar in size to the common nightingale, measuring 14 cm. Its feathers are characterized by a shade that mixes grey-brown with grey-white, with pale white and circular marks in the throat and chest area.
Its wings are very strong and its beak small in size, but with which it is able to catch small insects without many complications to eat them quickly. As far as the difference between male and female is concerned, both sexes are identical. The only way to differentiate them is through the singing of the male, since he sings during the day and night (especially if it is the spring season). The female, on the other hand, is less singing.
When they’re young, they don’t look much like adults. They get the brown-gray color of their feathers when they make their first feather change. It is not a bird that is too relaxed as a pet bird.
And what else is known about this species?
It is a migratory bird, like the rest of the nightingales, that reproduces in the taiga forests of northeast Asia and Mongolia, spending the winter in southeast Asia and southern China. It is very rare to see them in Western Europe during this period, although on some occasions they have been seen, such as on Fair Island, in Scotland, or in Denmark in 2012.
It is a species that usually lives in lowlands, but can live at altitudes of up to 1200 meters above sea level. In the winter months, they usually live in areas of scattered trees, bushes, parks and gardens.
Although it is true that it is a very singing bird, the truth is that it is very difficult to detect it. It hides among hidden branches, for considerable periods. When it is time to feed, it goes down to the ground to capture the insects, feeding mainly on ants, beetles, spiders and invertebrates. During the movement on the ground, it is normal to see the tail click.
Its silk reproduction season in the months of June/July. The nest is built in the shape of a bowl, in the hole of a tree or stump, close to the ground so that it is easy for it to go down to look for food and watch over the nest. It is made from dried leaves, herbs and moss, lined with fine materials. Females lay 5 to 6 pale blue eggs with brown spots. The mother takes care of the incubation while the male feeds her. When the chicks are born, at three weeks, both parents feed their young until they reach three or four weeks of age, when they begin to learn to fly away from the nest and join other birds of the same species.
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