Whinchat
Saxicola rubetra
Their name comes from their 'u-tictic' call, which sounds remarkably like two stones being tapped together, known as 'whinning'.
- Scientific name
- Saxicola rubetra
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Muscicapidae › Saxicola
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Rough grasslands, meadows, heathlands, and upland moors with scattered scrub or fence posts.
- Diet
- Primarily insects and spiders; also consumes berries and seeds during the autumn migration.
- Range
- Europe, Western Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
- Size
- 12-13 cm in length; wingspan of 21-24 cm; weight approximately 15-20g.
- Lifespan
- 2-5 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Agricultural intensification, early hay-cutting, loss of nesting habitat, and climate change affecting migratory routes.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and shy. Maintain a respectful distance to avoid disturbing nesting sites in tall grass. Use binoculars for a better view; they will likely fly to a new perch if approached too closely.
The whinchat ( Saxicola rubetra ) is a small migratory passerine bird breeding in Europe and western Asia and wintering in central Africa. At one time considered to be in the thrush family, Turdidae, it is now placed in the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. Both sexes have a strong supercilium, brownish upper parts mottled darker, a pale throat and breast, a pale buff to whitish belly, and a blackish tail with white bases to the outer tail...
Photo: Mourad Harzallah, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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