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Bluethroat
(Luscinia svecica)
: "Red-spotted Bluethroat" (race "svecica");
"White-spotted Bluethroat" (race "cyanecula")
 German name(s): "Blaukehlchen"
Size: 13-14 cm; wing span 20-22.5 cm
Weight: 15-25 g
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Bluethroats are small robin-like birds.
Their plumage is
dimorphic, i.e.
males and
males and
females
are different.
Note that there are some differences, in particular in
male
plumages,
between the various races.
Male
Bluethroats have a blue throat and upper chest "bib", with either a
rust-red (nominate race
"svecica")
or a white patch (race
"cyanecula).
Under the blue bib there is a horizontal
black fringe, a white one below that and then another, wide, rust-red
horizontal fringe. Belly, vent and undertail coverts are off-white.
The crown and the ear coverts, which are separated in part by very
conspicuous long, white supercilia, are brownish-grey, while the
upperparts are greyish, with only a faint brownish hue. The wing
feathers are dark-grey with thin brownish-grey outer edges. The
outer tail feathers have a rusty-red base.
Females
have only faint indications of a "bib" - some with some blue,
others without, but all with some rusty hues on the chest. They
have off-white to creamy chin/throat and moustachial stripes.
Otherwise, especially the upperparts, they are like
males.
The irises of both sexes are dark-brown. The almost straight bill
is dark-grey, as are legs and feet.
Juveniles
are like
females,
but with yet fainter chest markings which are dark-grey, and never
with either blue or rust-red.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Bluethroat
at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Bluethroat is available
HERE
.
Bluethroat are a primarily migratory species, with only small
areas where they are sedentary, such as in the southern Caucasus.
Their total range spans the length and the width of Eurasia,
from Iceland, the British Isles and Iberia in the West to
far-eastern Asia in the East. The species is also present
in near-coastal northern Africa. Some even cross the Bering
Strait via the Aleutian island chain into northern Alaska.
They breed in the northern parts of their range (central
to northern Europe, mid- to high-latitude Asia, Alaska)
and spend the northern winters in the southern part of the
range (from north-western Africa, Iberia and the Mediterranean
via the Middle East, the lower Nile valley, near-coastal Arabia
and south-western Asia into the Indian subcontinent and further
into south-eastern Asia).
In Europe, Bluethroats are winter visitors in near-coastal
areas of the Mediterranean.
Apart from a few breeding sites in Iberia and central Europe
(near-coastal Benelux countries, southern Germany, parts of
the Danube river valley) they breed in eastern Europe and
in northern Scandinavia. Everywhere else they can be found
only during their migration.
Bluethroats have a strong preference for wet habitats.
When breeding they stay in well-vegetated swampland or, in
the North of their range, in soggy upland birch forest with
undergrowth. Also outside the breeding season they usually
stay in wetlands, such as swamps, bogs or estuaries.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "cyanecula"
J. Pires reports finding a Bluethroat, race
"cyanecula",
in Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, in December 2017. Another was spotted on
Morraceira island, Figueira da Foz, Mondego estuary, Portugal, in January
2023.
R. Normand spotted a Bluethroat, race
"cyanecula",
about 20 km North of Lille, Hauts-de-France, France, in May 2020.
In June 2021 H. Dahlem-Senger found Bluethroats, race
"cyanecula",
between Neuharlingersiel and Harlesiel, Ostfriesland, Germany.
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Photos |
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Race "cyanecula"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Lateral view of a male Bluethroat looking towards the observer
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Between Neuharlingersiel and Harlesiel, Ostfriesland, Germany,
June 2021]
Lateral view of a male Bluethroat carrying food for its brood
(photo courtesy of R. Normand)
[20 km North of Lille, Hauts-de-France, France, May 2020]
Lateral view of a male Bluethroat issuing its
call
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Between Neuharlingersiel and Harlesiel, Ostfriesland, Germany,
June 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a male Bluethroat
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Between Neuharlingersiel and Harlesiel, Ostfriesland, Germany,
June 2021]
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FEMALE |
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Frontal view of a female Bluethroat
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, December 2017]
Near-frontal view of a female Bluethroat
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, December 2017]
Near-lateral view of a female Bluethroat
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, December 2017]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Frontal view of a first-winter female Bluethroat
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Morraceira island, Figueira da Foz, Mondego estuary, Portugal, January 2023]
Lateral view of a first-winter female Bluethroat
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Morraceira island, Figueira da Foz, Mondego estuary, Portugal, January 2023]
Male Bluethroat surveying its territory in a wheat crop
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Between Neuharlingersiel and Harlesiel, Ostfriesland, Germany,
June 2021]
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Food, Diet |
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Lateral view of a male Bluethroat carrying food for its brood
(photo courtesy of R. Normand)
[20 km North of Lille, Hauts-de-France, France, May 2020]
Near-lateral view of a female Bluethroat foraging for insects
in a marsh
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, December 2017]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Call/s
