Blue Rock-Thrush

The blue rock thrush is a starling-sized chat, 21–23cm long with a long slim bill, formerly placed in the thrush family. The breeding male of the nominate subspecies is unmistakable, with all blue-grey plumage apart from darker wings, while females and immatures have dark brown upperparts and paler brown scaly underparts. Both sexes lack the reddish outer tail feathers of rock thrushes (Wikipedia, general species account).

It breeds in southern Europe, north-west Africa, and from Central Asia to northern China and Malaysia. Other Asian populations are more migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa, India and South-east Asia. The male sings a clear, melodious call similar to but louder than the rock thrush's (Wikipedia, general species account).