The Systematic Position of the Water Redstarts, Chaimarrornis and Rhyacornis

The generic position of the water redstarts is controversial. Recent faunistic books assign the three species to two genera: the White-capped Water Redstart Chaimarrornis Zeucocephala, the Plumbeous Water Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus and the Philippine Water Redstart R. bicoZor (Ali & Ripley 1973a,b, du Pont 1971). Previously, Hartert (1910) included Rhyacornis in Chaimarrornis, and Ripley (1952) united both genera with Phoenicurus (cf. Vaurie 1955). Goodwin (1957), however, suggested that the water redstarts were allied to Oenanthe, Saxicola and Saxicoloides, and that the resemblances between Chainzurrornis and Rhyacornis were the result of convergence. These views were adopted by Ripley (1962), who subsequently (1964) placed Rhyacornis between Phoenicurus and Hodgsonius and Chaimarrornis between Oenanthe and Saxicoloides. Desfayes (1969) included the JVhite-capped Water Redstart in the otherwise African genus Thamnolaea, and allied Rhyacwnis spp. with Oenanthe, particularly the Red-tailed Wheatear 0. xanthoprymna. Hall F i AIoreau (1970) have merged Thamnolaea with Myrmecocichla, but the expanded genus is still confined to Africa except for the species leucocephala. This paper reviews the reclassifications of Goodwin (1957) and Desfayes (1969). I made brief observations of White-capped and Plumbeous Water Redstarts during a visit to Kashmir and Nepal in April 1973. Plumage characters were studied on skins a t the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto.