Siberian blue robin

A bird of the Turdus subfamily, family Muscicapidae, order Passeriformes, class Aves. It is named after the small blue bird, which is reminiscent of the mineral lapis lazuli. It is somewhat distantly related to the blue-and-white flycatcher, which is in the same family but belongs to the subfamily Muscicapidae. Also, simply saying "blue-and-white flycatcher" refers to the blue-and-white flycatcher, which is prized as a pet bird for its beautiful appearance and voice. Blue-and-white flycatchers breed in southern Siberia east of the Yenisei River, northeastern China, Sakhalin, and Japan, and migrate from southern China and the Indochina Peninsula to Borneo for wintering. In Japan, they live in lush deciduous broadleaf forests from Kyushu to Hokkaido. In the southern Kuril Islands, they breed in riverside forests with willows and Asian skunk cabbage. They build their nests in the shade on the ground and lay 3 to 5 eggs. They are sometimes parasitized by the Japanese hawk-eared cuckoo. They catch insects by hopping around on the ground. Total length is about 14 cm. Males are dark blue above and white below. Females are olive brown above. Their song is very similar to that of a robin, but there is always a prelude of "chi-chi-chi" that gets louder and faster.

[Nobuo Takeshita]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鳥綱スズメ目ヒタキ科ツグミ亜科の鳥。鉱物の瑠璃（ラピスラズリ）を連想させる青色の小形の鳥なのでこの名がある。同じ科であるがヒタキ亜科に属するオオルリとは、やや縁が遠い。また、単にルリというと、姿と声の美しさから飼い鳥として賞用されたオオルリをさす。コルリはエニセイ川より東のシベリア南部、中国東北部、樺太(からふと)（サハリン）、日本で繁殖し、中国南部、インドシナ半島からボルネオ島に渡り、越冬する。日本では九州から北海道までの、よく茂った落葉広葉樹林にすむ。南千島ではミズバショウの生えるヤナギなどの河畔林で繁殖する。巣は地上の物陰につくり、3～5個の卵を産む。ホトトギス科のジュウイチに托卵(たくらん)されることがある。地上を跳ね歩きながら、昆虫をとる。全長約14センチメートル。雄は上面が暗青色で下面は白い。雌は上面がオリーブ褐色。さえずりはコマドリによく似ているが、チッチッチッとしだいに速く大きくなる前奏がかならず入る。

［竹下信雄］

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