Species of bird
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The blackstart (Oenanthe melanura) is a chat found in desert regions in North Africa, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula. It is resident throughout its range.
The blackstart is long and is named for its black tail, which is frequently fanned; the rest of its plumage is bluish-grey or grey-brown (North African races being browner, Middle Eastern races bluer). The sexes are similar. The song is a clear melancholy whistle: "CHURlee...TRUloo...CHURlee...TRUlur...", with short phrases from the song used as a call.
The habitats of blackstarts are rocky deserts and mountain slopes; they nest in rock crevices lay 3–4 eggs. They feed on insects, taken mainly on the ground. The blackstart is a confident species, unafraid of people.
Taxonomy.
The first formal description of the blackstart was by the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1824 under the binomial name "Saxicola melanura". The blackstart was included as the type species in the genus "Cercomela" introduced by Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1856. Molecular phylogenetic studies published in 2010 and 2012 found that the genus "Cercomela" was polyphyletic with five species, including the blackstart, phylogenetically nested within the genus "Oenanthe". As part of a reorganization of the species to create monotypic genera, the blackstart was assigned to the genus "Oenanthe". The specific epithet "melanura" is from the classical Greek "melanouros" meaning "with a black tail" from "melas" "black" and "oura" "tail".
Six subspecies are recognised:
The subspecies differ slightly in the colour of their plumage.
Description.
The blackstart is around in length with a wingspan of and a weight of around . The nominate race "O. m. melanura" has blueish ash-grey upperparts with darker wings and a black rump and tail. The belly and under-wings are greyish white; the bill and legs are black. The sexes are similar. The North African subspecies "O. m. lypura" and "O. m. airensis" are browner than the nominate.
Breeding.
The blackstart is monogamous and pairs remain on their breeding territory throughout the year. The nest is built entirely by the female and can be placed between boulders, in a rock crevice or in a disused burrow. The nest is a shallow cup of grass and leaves lined with hair and fine plant material. The female usually places small pebbles around the entrance of the nest. The 3 or 4 pale blue eggs with fine red-brown speckles are laid at daily intervals. They measure and weigh . They are incubated by the female and hatch after 13–14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge after around 14 days. Up to three broods can be raised in a year.
A study conducted in Israel on the west shore of the Dead Sea found that a major cause of nest failure was the predation of the eggs by Golden and Cairo spiny mice.
Status.
The species has a wide distribution range, stable population trends, and is presumed to have a large population, although precise estimates have not been conducted. As a result, it is classified as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
References.
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