Appearance:

A medium sized thrush with evenly brown to olive-brown upperparts. Underparts boldly covered with arrow-shaped spots. Chest with buff tones. Faint face patterns and buff underwing coverts distinguishes it from all other thrushes in the region. Lacks the white cheek-spot of Mistle Thrush, and the colour of the back of the head is not paler than the back. Sexes alike. Juveniles with buff-spotted upperparts. Quite short-tailed and compact, with rounded wings. Jerky, and not very undulated, flight pattern.

Sound:

Very melodious, varied and a master imitator. Still easily distinguished by its tendency to repeat introductory motives two or more times, and its many high pitched themes. Each phrase is loud and penetrating and the tempo deliberate. Most heard (but easily overlooked) contact call is a dry and very short "zip", sometimes given as a two syllable call "zip-ip".

Song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

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

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC