Common Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchos
Silhouette: Stephan Sprinz · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyMuscicapidae (Old World Flycatchers, Robins, and Chats)
- GenusLuscinia (Nightingales and Allies)
- SpeciesLuscinia megarhynchos (Common Nightingale)
About the Common Nightingale
The common nightingale, rufous nightingale or simply nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), is a small passerine bird which is known for its powerful and beautiful song, often described as one of the most beautiful sounds in nature. An Old World flycatcher, it belongs to a group of more terrestrial species, often called chats. Its range partly overlaps with that of the more northerly thrush nightingale (Luscinia luscinia), a closely related species with which hybrids have occurred.
The common nightingale belongs to a distinctive group of Old World flycatchers, known as chats, that were formerly thought to be thrushes. Genetic analysis showed that they were in fact types of flycatcher (Muscicapidae), with the resemblance to thrushes being the result of convergent evolution.
"Nightingale" is derived from "night" and the Old English galan, "to sing". The genus name Luscinia is Latin for "nightingale" and megarhynchos is from Ancient Greek megas, "great" and rhunkhos, "bill". Three subspecies are recognised: Western nightingale (L. m. megarhynchos) – western Europe, North Africa and Asia Minor, wintering in tropical Africa
Caucasian nightingale (L. m. africana) – the Caucasus... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Common Nightingale in Lake Mburo National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Lake Mburo National Park
White-browed Robin-Chat
Cossypha heuglini
Sooty Chat
Myrmecocichla nigra
White-browed Scrub Robin
Erythropygia leucophrys
Brown-backed Scrub Robin
Erythropygia hartlaubi
Swamp Flycatcher
Muscicapa aquatica
Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat
Cossypha niveicapilla
Grey Tit-Flycatcher
Myioparus plumbeus
Northern Black-Flycatcher
Melaenornis edolioides
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher
Dioptrornis fischeri
Southern Black Flycatcher
Melaenornis pammelaina
Pale Flycatcher
Bradornis pallidus
Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striata
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.