European Stonechat
Saxicola rubicola
The European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) is a common chats, old world flycatchers, and alli found in 80 countries. The European stonechat is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a subspecies of the common stonechat.
About the European Stonechat
The European stonechat 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. It is found across Europe, as far east as Ukraine and the South Caucasus, and in parts of North Africa.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The stonechat is 11.5–13 cm (4.5–5.1 in) long and weighs 13–17 g (0.46–0.60 oz), 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.
What the European Stonechat sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Finland, India, Thailand, Mauritania, China, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Yemen, Cambodia, Nepal, San Marino.
When to see it
The European Stonechat can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a European Stonechat?
- The stonechat is 11.5–13 cm (4.5–5.1 in) long and weighs 13–17 g (0.46–0.60 oz), slightly smaller than the European robin. Full identification notes are on this page.
- Where can you see a European Stonechat?
- The European Stonechat occurs in 80 countries, including Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Portugal and Belgium.
- What does a European Stonechat sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the European Stonechat on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a European Stonechat?
- The European Stonechat is most easily confused with the Whinchat, the Pied Bush Chat and the African Stonechat.
Learn the European Stonechat for real
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