Bird Guide

African Stonechat vs Whinchat

African Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus)

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Tiny14 gShrubland

The males have a black head, a white half-collar, a black back, a white rump, and a black tail; the wings are black with a large white patch on the top side of the inner wing. The upper breast is usually dark orange-red, with a sharp or gradual transition to white or pale orange on the lower breast and belly depending on subspecies. In a few, black replaces the orange breast feathers in part or entirely. Females have brown rather than black above and on the head with an indistinct paler eyebrow line, chestnut-buff rather than orange below, and less white on the wings.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Matthew Fainman · CC BY 4.0
Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra)

Whinchat

Saxicola rubetra

Small17 gShrubland

The whinchat is a short-tailed bird, moving on the ground with small, rapid hops and frequently bobbing and flicking its wings and tail. It is similar in size to its relative the European robin (Erithacus rubecula), being 12 to 14 cm (4.7 to 5.5 in) long and weighing 13 to 26 g (0.46 to 0.92 oz). Both sexes have brownish upperparts mottled darker, a buff throat and breast, a pale buff to whitish belly, and a blackish tail with white bases to the outer tail feathers.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Noé Ferrari · CC BY 4.0
Photo: (c) Mourad Harzallah, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Mourad Harzallah · cc-by

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: African Stonechat and Whinchat.