Canary Islands Stonechat

The Canary Islands stonechat, Saxicola dacotiae, also known as the Fuerteventura stonechat or Fuerteventura chat, is a small, sprightly passerine bird. It bears a resemblance to the European stonechat and the whinchat, with a body size and shape that might remind one of a lithe European robin. The male is particularly striking with a blackish head, dark brown upperparts with back streaks, a white supercilium extending behind the eye, white neck sides, and a light orangey-chestnut breast that fades to a paler underside and whitish belly. Its rump and tail are dark, featuring a distinctive white pattern in flight, and a white wing band. The female presents a more subdued palette, resembling a washed-out version of the male, with a brown, black-streaked head and lacking the male's white neck patches.

Identification Tips

When attempting to identify the Canary Islands stonechat, look for the male's contrasting dark brown upperparts, blackish head, and the white supercilium that reaches behind the eye. The light orangey-chestnut breast and the white pattern on the dark tail during flight are also key identification features. Females can be identified by their more muted coloration and the absence of white neck patches.

Habitat

The Canary Islands stonechat shows a strong fidelity to its preferred habitat, which includes barrancos, ravines, and rocky slopes with sparse shrubby vegetation. It also favors copses of palm trees and shrubs, such as Launaea arborescens, Caroxylon vermiculatum, and Lycium intricatum.

Distribution

This bird is a sedentary resident found exclusively on the island of Fuerteventura, known locally as the Caldereta. It was once more widespread across the Canary Islands.

Behaviour

The Canary Islands stonechat is an insectivorous bird that sings from exposed perches and hunts insects on the wing. It may occasionally forage in fields or gardens, especially when feeding its young. The species typically lays 4-5 eggs per clutch and incubates them for 13 days, often raising two clutches a year.

Song & Calls

The male Canary Islands stonechat emits a ticking call reminiscent of a pebble striking another, and its song is a high twittering similar to that of the European stonechat.

Breeding

Breeding occurs in the bird's preferred habitat of barrancos and rocky slopes with shrubby vegetation. The Canary Islands stonechat usually manages two clutches per year, with 4-5 eggs per clutch and an incubation period of 13 days.

Conservation status

The Canary Islands stonechat is currently classified as Near Threatened. Its population, estimated between 1300 and 1700 mature birds, is in decline due to habitat loss from construction and tourism development, desertification, and predation by feral cats and black rats. A conservation action plan has been in place since 1999 to address these threats. The subspecies murielae from the Chinijo Archipelago near Lanzarote is already extinct, primarily due to introduced predators and habitat deterioration.