Red-breasted chat

The red-breasted chat is a species of bird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is endemic to Mexico.

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Distribution

Region

Western Mexico

Typical Environment

Occurs along the Pacific slope from northwestern to southwestern Mexico in tropical dry forest, thorn scrub, riparian thickets, and second-growth edges. It favors dense understory and brushy tangles near clearings and along arroyos. It may venture into semi-open areas with scattered shrubs but typically remains close to cover. Occurs in coastal lowlands and foothills and can persist in moderately disturbed habitats where understory remains intact.

Altitude Range

0–1200 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size13–15 cm

Wing Span18–22 cm

Male Weight0.015 kg

Female Weight0.013 kg

Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

A striking member of the Cardinalidae, the red-breasted chat is endemic to Mexico’s Pacific slope dry forests and thickets. Males are known for their vivid red underparts and bold black-and-white facial pattern, while females are duller with a peachy wash below. Pairs often perform antiphonal duets, making them easier to detect by ear than by sight in dense cover.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

skulking but active

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats through dense cover

Social Behavior

Usually found singly or in pairs, especially during the breeding season when pairs defend territories. Known for coordinated male–female duets and responsive countersinging with neighbors. Nests are cup-shaped and placed low in dense shrubs or tangles.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

A series of clear, whistled phrases often given in duets, with males delivering bright, ringing notes and females responding with complementary phrases. Contact calls include sharp chips and thin whistles, carrying well through brushy habitat.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Red-breasted flycatcher

The red-breasted flycatcher is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. It breeds in eastern Europe and across Central Asia and is strictly migratory, wintering in south Asia. The breeding male is mainly muted brown above and white below, with a grey head and an orange throat. Females and immatures are similarly colored but lack the orange throat patch. The red-breasted flycatcher is a regular passage migrant in western Europe, whereas the collared flycatcher, which has a different migration route, is scarce. It forms a superspecies with the closely related taiga flycatcher and Kashmir flycatcher and can be distinguished from the former by its different song, warmer-toned plumage and the more extensive orange throat patch.

Red-breasted merganser

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Red-breasted nuthatch

The red-breasted nuthatch is a small songbird. The adult has blue-grey upperparts with cinnamon underparts, a white throat and face with a black stripe through the eyes, a straight grey bill and a black crown. Its call, which has been likened to a tin trumpet, is high-pitched and nasal. It breeds in coniferous forests across Canada, Alaska and the northeastern and western United States. Though often a permanent resident, it regularly irrupts further south if its food supply fails. There are records of vagrants occurring as far south as the Gulf Coast and northern Mexico. It forages on the trunks and large branches of trees, often descending head first, sometimes catching insects in flight. It eats mainly insects and seeds, especially from conifers. It excavates its nest in dead wood, often close to the ground, smearing the entrance with pitch.