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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

Similar
species

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

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See European Stonechat at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "rubicola"

Note that we are listing birds from southern, near-coastal Portugal as part of race "rubicola".

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2019]

Frontal view of a male European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral view of a male European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alcaria Ruiva, Beja, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

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

Lateral/ventral view of a male European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a male European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2019]

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

Ventral view of a male European Stonechat banking to land with its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sado estuary, Zambujal, Centro, Portugal, August 2020]

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

Lateral view of a female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2019]

Dorsal view of a female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

PAIR

Pair of European Stonechats talking to each other? (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-lateral view of a young male European Stonechat moulting into adult plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, , Portugal, June 2020]

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

Frontal view of a first-winter female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, Ponte de Sor, Evora, Portugal, October 2020]

Near-frontal view of a first-winter female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, September 2021]

Near-lateral view of a first-winter female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Couco, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2021]

Near-lateral view of a first-winter European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

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

Lateral view of a first-winter female European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Ria Formosa, Quinta de Marim, Olhao, Faro, Algarve, Portugal, November 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a first-winter European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a first-winter European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia river, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

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

Frontal view of a juvenile European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2020]

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]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2019]

Frontal view of a juvenile European Stonechat (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Ostbense, Ostfriesland, Germany, June 2021]

Frontal view of a juvenile European Stonechat (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Ostbense, Ostfriesland, Germany, June 2021]

Frontal view of a fledgling European Stonechat fluttering its wings (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

Near-frontal view of a fledgling European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2021]

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

Near-dorsal view of a fledgling European Stonechat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Race "hibernans"

ADULT

MALE

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]

FEMALE

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

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]

Lateral view of a juvenile European Stonechat in a bramble shrub (photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Near Vannes, Bretagne, France, August 2020]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Mar - Aug(?) Eggs: 4 - 6 Incubation period: 14 - 15 days Fledging age: 14 - 16 days

The length of the breeding season depends on geographic latitude and can start earlier and end later in southern parts of the range, while starting later and ending earlier in the northern parts of the range. Two to three broods can be raised in most seasons.

Nest

Type: Basket on ground Material: Grass, leaves, rootlets; hair, wool, feather lining Height above ground: N/A

Nest building: ? Incubation: Female Dependent care: Female & male

Lateral view of a female European Stonechat carrying nest material (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Eggs

Size: 19 x 14.5 mm Colour: Bluish-green, with sparse small chestnut speckles Shape: Tapered oval

Food, Diet

Lateral view of a male European Stonechat with its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2019]

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

Near-dorsal view of a European Stonechat with what looks like a berry (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Near-lateral view of a female European Stonechat with its prey, a big, juicy caterpillar (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2020]

Dragonflies seem to know that European Stonechats do not prey on them (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

stoncht_jp_20200422.m4a rubicola
(Portugal)
Territorial calls (male) © JP
stoncht_jp_20200605.m4a rubicola
(Portugal)
Alarm calls(?) © JP

More European Stonechat sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

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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If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.