Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
Quite similar to Whinchat all plumages lack the strong pale supercilium. Male easily identified by its mainly black and white plumage, black throat and white half-collar. Other plumages seem much more evenly coloured than the Whinchat's, with its more pronounced streaking. Adult females also with diffuse black throat, but this becomes paler as the plumage is worn. All plumages show white patch at base of wing in flight. Rump usually streaked, but sometimes has a white center, or can even be completely white. Juveniles like female, but with streaked underparts. Always restlessly on the move with frequent dipping of tail.
Sound:Alarm call an alternation of a high-pitched "weet" and a hard "check", like other chats. The "weet" is much higher pitched than the similar call of Whinchat, and Stonechat repeats the "check" more frequently. The song is a sweet stream of scratchy notes. Much more even, and less chattering than the Whinchat. Almost like a short and scratchy Dunnock phrase.
Song:
Distribution:
Xeno-canto: map
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCSlate grey upperparts with barred white underparts. Female and juvenile sometimes rufous brown. Male with defined grey breast in contrast to barred white belly, female with diffusely barred chest and throat. Yellow iris and thin bill. Wings and tail long and slender, often giving the impression of a small falcon. Often perches with a more horizontal posture than hawks or falcons, i.e. tail pointing backwards and not towards the ground, and drooping wings. In flight wings are not raise above horizontal plane, and it seldom glides like raptors.
Sound:Song: the well known disyllabic "cuck-coo" with emphasis on first note, and the second note a third lower than the first one. Also a harsh "tchaa tchaa", and a bubbly trill, reminiscent of Little Grebe, uttered by the female.
Male:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CC