Taxonomy and Nomenclature
In the past generally treated as comprising two subspecies, T. c. cyanurus breeding in northern Asia and T. c. rufilatus breeding in the Himalaya, it is now increasingly being treated as monotypic, with T. c. rufilatus split off as a distinct species, Himalayan Bluetail T. rufilatus. The species has also been known by a variety of English and scientific names in the ornithological literature. The table below details the treatments adopted by some major works, by publication date (newest first):
| Publication | English name | Scientific name | Taxonomic notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IOC standard list, version 2.5 | Red-flanked Bluetail | Tarsiger cyanurus | monotypic; excludes rufilatus |
| Collins Bird Guide | Red-flanked Bluetail | Tarsiger cyanurus | |
| IOC standard list, version 1 | Red-flanked Bluetail | Tarsiger cyanurus | polytypic; includes rufilatus |
| Clements Checklist (6th edition) | Red-flanked Bluetail | Tarsiger cyanurus | polytypic; includes rufilatus |
| Birds of South Asia | Northern Red-flanked Bush-robin | Tarsiger cyanurus | monotypic; rufilatus split off |
| HBW | Orange-flanked Bush-robin | Tarsiger cyanurus | polytypic; includes rufilatus, although split suggested |
| Howard & Moore (3rd edition) | Orange-flanked Bush Robin | Luscinia cyanura | polytypic; includes rufilatus |
| OBC Checklist | Orange-flanked Bush Robin | Tarsiger cyanurus | polytypic; includes rufilatus |
| Howard & Moore (2nd edition) | Red-flanked Bluetail | Tarsiger cyanurus | polytypic; includes rufilatus |
| BWP | Red-flanked Bluetail | Tarsiger cyanurus | polytypic; includes rufilatus |
| Voous | Red-flanked Bluetail or Orange-flanked Bush Robin |
Tarsiger cyanurus | polytypic; includes rufilatus |
Read more about this topic: Red-flanked Bluetail