Chats (formerly sometimes known as "chat-thrushes") are a group of small Old World insectivorous birds formerly classified as members of the thrush family Turdidae, but now considered Old World flycatchers.
The name is normally applied to the more robust ground-feeding flycatchers found in Europe and Asia and most northern species are strong migrants. There are a large number of genera and these birds in particular make up most of the subfamily Saxicolinae.
Other songbirds called "chats" are:
Australian chats, genera Ashbyia and Epthianura of the honeyeater family (Meliphagidae). They belong to a more ancient lineage than Saxicolinae.
American chats, genus Granatellus of the cardinal family (Cardinalidae), formerly placed in the wood-warbler family. They belong to a more modern lineage than Saxicolinae.
Yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens), an enigmatic North American songbird tentatively placed in the wood-warbler family (Parulidae); its true relationships are unresolved.
Subfamily Saxicolinae
Genus Tarsiger - bush-robins
Red-flanked bluetail or orange-flanked bush-robin, Tarsiger cyanurus
Golden bush robin, Tarsiger chrysaeus
White-browed bush robin, Tarsiger indicus
Rufous-breasted bush robin, Tarsiger hyperythrus
Collared bush robin, Tarsiger johnstoniae
Genus Luscinia (4 species)
Genus Calliope (4 species)
Genus Larvivora (6 species)
Genus Erithacus - European robin
Genus Irania - white-throated robin
Genus Saxicola - bushchats and stonechats (c. 15 species)
Genus Pogonocichla
White-starred robin, Pogonocichla stellata
Genus Swynnertonia
Swynnerton's robin, Swynnertonia swynnertoni
Genus Stiphrornis - forest robins (1-5 species, depending on taxonomy)
Genus Xenocopsychus
Angolan cave chat, Xenocopsychus ansorgei
Genus Saxicoloides - Indian robin
Genus Cinclidium
White-tailed robin, Cinclidium leucurum
Sunda robin, Cinclidium diana
Blue-fronted robin, Cinclidium frontale
Genus Grandala
Grandala, Grandala coelicolor
Genus Namibornis
Herero chat, Namibornis herero
Genus Cercomela
Sickle-winged chat, Cercomela sinuata
Karoo chat, Cercomela schlegelii
Tractrac chat, Cercomela tractrac
Familiar chat, Cercomela familiaris
Brown-tailed rock chat, Cercomela scotocerca
Brown rock chat, Cercomela fusca
Sombre rock chat, Cercomela dubia
Blackstart, Cercomela melanura
Moorland chat, Cercomela sordida
Genus Myrmecocichla
Sooty chat (Myrmecocichla nigra)
Anteater chat (Myrmecocichla aethiops)
Congo moor chat (Myrmecocichla tholloni)
Ant-eating chat (Myrmecocichla formicivora)
Rüppell's black chat (Myrmecocichla melaena)
Mountain chat (Myrmecocichla monticola)
Arnot's chat (Myrmecocichla arnoti)
Ruaha chat (Myrmecocichla collaris)
Genus Thamnolaea - cliff chats
Mocking cliff chat, Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris
White-winged cliff chat, Thamnolaea semirufa
Genus Pinarornis
Boulder chat Pinarornis plumosus
Saxicolinae genera not usually called "chats" are:
Genus Sheppardia - akalats (9 species)
Genus Cossyphicula - white-bellied robin-chat - may belong in Cossypha
Genus Cossypha - robin-chats (14 species)
Genus Cichladusa - palm-thrushes (3 species)
Genus Cercotrichas - scrub-robins or bush-chats (11 species)
Genus Myophonus, whistling thrushes
Genus Copsychus - magpie-robins or shamas (7 species)
Genus Phoenicurus - true redstarts (11 species)
Genus Enicurus - forktails (7 species)
Genus Cochoa - cochoas (4 species)
Genus Brachypteryx - (4 species)
Genus Heinrichia - great shortwing
Genus Leonardina - Bagabo babbler
Genus Oenanthe - wheatears (some 20 species)
Genus Trichixos - rufous-tailed shama
Aberrant redstarts, possibly belonging in this subfamily:
Genus Chaimarrornis - white-capped redstart
Genus Rhyacornis (2 species)
