The
brown rock chat (
Oenanthe fusca) is a species of bird in the
Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. With a length of about 17 cm (7 in), the species is larger than the somewhat similar-looking
Indian robin. The overparts are a uniform rufous brown, with the wings and tail a slightly darker shade than the rest of the body, while the underparts grade into a dark greyish-brown vent area. They feed mostly on insects picked up from the ground; individuals may forage late into the evening to capture insects attracted to lights.
The brown rock chat is distributed widely across central and northern India, in rocky habitats and around old buildings. This picture shows an individual photographed at the temple complex in Bateshwar, Uttar Pradesh.Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp