stonechat

[stohn-chat] /ˈstoʊnˌtʃæt/
noun
1.
any of several small Old World birds, especially of the genus Saxicola, as S. torquata.
Origin
1775-85; stone + chat, so called from its warning cry which sounds like a clash of stones
British Dictionary definitions for stonechat

stonechat

/ˈstəʊnˌtʃæt/
noun
1.
an Old World songbird, Saxicola torquata, having a black plumage with a reddish-brown breast: subfamily Turdinae (thrushes)
Word Origin
C18: so called from its cry, which sounds like clattering pebbles
Encyclopedia Article for stonechat

(species Saxicola torquata), Eurasian and African thrush (family Turdidae, order Passeriformes) named for its voice, which is said to sound like pebbles clicked together. In this species, 13 cm (5 inches) long, the male is black above, with white neck patch and a smudge of reddish colour on the white underparts; the female is brownish and dark-hooded. It is a ground nester, of flycatcher-like habits, found in overgrown pastures and coastal wastelands.

Learn more about stonechat with a free trial on Britannica.com