Whinchat
Saxicola rubetra
Also known as: Bitxac Rogenc
Habitat
Ground
Diet
Invertebrate
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
17 g
About This Species
Found in open grassland, heath and rough pasture, this small chat perches conspicuously on fence posts, tall grass stems and low bushes while hunting insects from a vantage point. Its orange-buff breast and bold pale eyebrow stripe make it distinctive, and it often bobs its tail while perched. It is a summer visitor to its breeding grounds, arriving in spring and best looked for from late April through July before it heads south again.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Stay back at least 20 to 30 metres from perches during the breeding season, since this ground-nesting species is easily flushed and nests are vulnerable to trampling in the low vegetation it favours.
- It receives general wild bird protection across its European range, with nest disturbance specifically prohibited during the breeding season in most countries, though exact provisions differ by jurisdiction.
- Keep dogs on leads and stick to paths in breeding habitat to avoid disturbing nests hidden in grass tussocks.
LCAvesPasseriformesMuscicapidae
Seasonal Activity
882,621 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
Traits
- Diet
- Invertebrate
- Foraging
- Ground
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 17 g
Photo
(c) Vladimir Bondar, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Vladimir Bondar
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.