loading...
A photo of a European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola), male
European Stonechat, Male

European Stonechat

Saxicola rubicola

The European stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a subspecies of the common stonechat. Long considered a member of the thrush family, Turdidae, genetic evidence has placed it and its relatives in the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. The stonechat is 11.5–13 cm long, slightly smaller than the European robin. Both sexes have distinctively short wings, shorter than those of the more migratory whinchat and Siberian stonechat. The summer male has black upperparts, a black head, an orange throat and breast, and a white belly and vent. It also has a white half-collar on the sides of its neck, a small white scapular patch on the wings, and a very small white patch on the rump often streaked with black. The female has brown upperparts and head, and no white neck patches, rump or belly, these areas being streaked dark brown on paler brown, the only white being the scapular patch on the wings and even this often being buffy-white.
Birda logo
Download Birda for free and join the community of curious everyday people connecting with the natural world
Birda logo
Download Birda for free and join the community

European Stonechats on Birda

Photos

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Beau Gamble
Beau Gamble
Friday 22 Sep 2023 - 6:36am
United Kingdom
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Jonathan Bissett
Jonathan Bissett
Thursday 21 Sep 2023 - 4:52pm
United Kingdom
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Stuart Cossey
Stuart Cossey
Thursday 21 Sep 2023 - 3:07pm
Ireland
A photo of a Stonechat photographed in Huntsman's Leap United Kingdom
🐿
Kelly Lumsden
Thursday 21 Sep 2023 - 2:40pm
United Kingdom
Connect with nature,
Find your flock
Copyright © 2023 Chirp Birding Ltd. All rights reserved.