Benson's rock thrush

Benson's rock thrush is a delightful songbird in the Muscicapidae family, previously classified among the chats in the Turdidae family. Initially considered a distinct species, it is now often regarded as a subspecies of the forest rock thrush. This bird is indigenous to Madagascar, where it inhabits subtropical or tropical dry forests and shrublands. Unfortunately, habitat loss has rendered it quite rare, earning it a Near Threatened status from the IUCN in the past.

The male Benson's rock thrush is striking, with a blue head, mantle, back, wings, and upper breast, contrasting with its vibrant orange lower breast and belly. Females have brown backs, wings, and tails, with pale underparts streaked with brown. Both sexes feature orange bases on the outer feathers of their tails. Males are particularly noticeable for their distinctive song, characterized by a "toee toee toee" sound, often sung from the lower parts of tree canopies.

In Madagascar, this bird is predominantly found in tropical forests. In the north, it inhabits mid- to high-altitude rainforests, forest edges, and scrubby areas. In the south, it prefers dry forests and semi-arid rocky regions. Interestingly, Benson's rock thrush demonstrates resilience by recolonizing areas that have been burnt, as long as the vegetation begins to recover.

Currently, the IUCN lists Benson's rock thrush as of "Least Concern" attributed to its relatively stable population, though potential slight declines exist. The primary threats to this bird include habitat degradation due to forest clearance for agriculture, commercial logging, sapphire mining, and the increasing frequency of fires.