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19

European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) German name(s): "Schwarzkehlchen" Size: 11.5-13 cm; wing span 18-21 cm Weight: 13-17 g

Europe: Family Group 19 Family Group 19 Table European Robin Common Redstart Black Redstart Bluethroat Whinchat European Stonechat Common Rock Thrush Blue Rock Thrush Common Nightingale Northern Wheatear Isabelline Wheatear Black-eared Wheatear Black Wheatear White-throated Dipper Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description European Stonechats are small robin-like birds. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Male European Stonechats have an all-black head, white patches on the sides of the neck and an orange chest and sides. The central belly, the vent and undertail coverts are off-white to light-grey. The upperparts are black, in some individuals with brownish edge lining, in others with grey edges. The tail is black, while the rump can be white, vermiculated white and grey or vermiculated brown and grey. Females are duller than males, with grey/brown streaking where males are black and with a paler, more rusty front. They also lack the white patches on the sides of the neck. Worn plumage, especially on the upperparts, tends to be dark than when fresh. Both sexes have dark irises, a black bill and black legs and feet. Juveniles are duller than females and their plumage is highly cryptic, streaked greyish-brown all over.

Taxonomy, classification See European Stonechat at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to the ebird.org website. The global distribution of the European Stonechat is available HERE . European Stonechats are a partly sedentary, partly migratory Eurasian species of small "Old World Flycatchers". In North-west near-coastal Africa, along the northern Mediterranean and the South coast of the Black Sea and in western Europe they are sedentary, while elsewhere they are migratory. They overwinter in northern Africa (including the north-western coastal fringe, where they are sedentary), in the Middle East, and from south-eastern Asia Minor eastward into Iraq/Iran and near-coastal Arabia. Their breeding grounds range from central and south-eastern Europe to the North coast of the Caspian Sea. They are absent from an area spanning from ca. Poland to the Volga Basin, but a second breeding population is found further eastward, in western Russia around the Ural mountain range. In Europe, European Stonechats are sedentary all along the Mediterranean coastline, in Iberia, Italy and on all the Mediterranean islands and in western France. They are also sedentary in western coastal regions of both Britain and Ireland. Their breeding grounds range from eastern France and the Benelux countries into near-coastal western Denmark and south-western Norway, parts of Germany and from eastern Germany towards south-eastern Europe, including the Danube and its tributaries, towards Ukraine and far south-western Russia. European Stonechats have a preference for open terrain with shrubs such as gorse or heather.

Sightings Click here for sighting information J. Pires reports finding European Stonechats regularly in the area from the Tejo estuary to Mora, Evora, Portugal. M. Eaton reports spotting European Stonechats near Padstow, Cornwall, England, in September 2019.

Photos

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2015]

Frontal/ventral view of a male European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2018]

Frontal view of a male European Stonechat in worn plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Padstow, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Near-frontal view of a male European Stonechat in worn plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Padstow, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male European Stonechat in worn plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Padstow, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Lateral view of a male European Stonechat in worn plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Padstow, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Lateral view of a male European Stonechat with, for comparison, an European Goldfinch (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2014]

Dorsal view of a male European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2018]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female European Stonechat taking a bath (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2015]

Frontal view of a female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Padstow, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Lateral view of a female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Padstow, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Padstow, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a first-winter male European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2018]

Lateral view of a first-winter female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a first-winter female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2018]

Dorsal view of a first-winter female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2014]

Frontal view of a juvenile European Stonechat starting to moult into adult plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Padstow, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile European Stonechat starting to moult into adult plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Padstow, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2017]

Male European Stonechat with two juveniles (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2015]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2018]

Lateral view of a fledgling European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2015]

Food, Diet

Near-dorsal view of a male European Stonechat with its prey, possibly a moth (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2015]

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.

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