What is Nightingale?
{{Taxobox | name ='''Nightingale''' | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | image = Nachtigall_(Luscinia_megarhynchos)-2.jpg | image_width = 204px | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[bird|Aves]] | ordo = [[Passerine|Passeriformes]] | familia = [[Muscicapidae]] | subfamilia = Saxicolinae | genus = ''[[Luscinia]]'' | binomial = ''Luscinia megarhynchos''}} [[File:Luscinia megarhynchos MHNT 232 HdB Bouzareah Algérie.jpg|thumb|''Luscinia megarhynchos'']] The '''nightingale''' (''Luscinia megarhynchos'') is a small [[bird]]. It used to be put in the thrush family [[Turdidae]]. Now it is put on the Old World flycatchers, a group often called the [[chat (bird)|chats]] or chat-thrushes. Its resemblance to thrushes is an example of [[convergent evolution]]. It is a [[migration|migratory]] [[insectivorous]] species. It breeds in forests and scrubs in [[Europe]] and south-west [[Asia]]. The distribution is more southerly than the very closely related [[thrush nightingale]] ''Luscinia luscinia''. It nests on the ground in or next to dense bushes. It passes the winter southern [[Africa]]. Studies have shown that nightingales seem to choose places to breed that meet certain criteria (Wink 1973): * less than 200 meters [[above mean sea level]] * mean [[air temperature]] during the [[growing season]] above 14&nbsp;°C * more than 20 days/year on which temperatures are above 25&nbsp;°C * less than 750mm of rain per year. * no closed [[Canopy (forest)|canopy]]. The Nightingale is slightly larger than the [[European robin|robin]], at around 15-16.5 cm length. It is plain brown above except for the reddish tail. It is buff to white below. Sexes are similar. Nightingales are named so because they frequently sing at night as well as during the day. The name has been used for well over 1,000 years, being highly recognizable even in its Anglo-Saxon form - 'nihtingale'. It means 'night songstress'. Early writers assumed the female sang; in fact, it is the male. The song is loud, with an impressiv