White-browed Bushchat Saxicola macrorhynchus Scientific name definitions

The White-browed Bushchat occurs in sandy semi-desert, semiarid grasslands, and desert areas with scattered shrubs, and is now virtually endemic to Northwest India, though it formerly also occurred in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is similar in appearance to other Saxicola chats, but this species performs a striking and unique “puff-and-roll” display on the ground, whose function appears to be related to foraging but is poorly understood. The breeding biology and movements of the White-browed Bushchat have not been documented, though scattered records from other parts of India suggest that it undertakes short-distance migrations. Habitat conversion and the spread of canal irrigation in the arid regions of the Indian subcontinent may have driven a considerable population decline, and this species is now known as a (potential) breeding bird primarily from Rajasthan. Its natural history is very poorly known, with very few records in the mid-to-late twentieth century, although surveys from the 1990s onward have revealed this species to be more widespread than previously assumed. However, it remains scarce and is under threat as habitat loss reduces its last known strongholds. This account summarizes what is known about the White-browed Bushchat and highlights the urgent need for research into its breeding biology, behavior, and habitat preferences to inform conservation action.