European Stonechat

European Stonechat was formerly known as the Common Wheatear. The male is easily recognizable by its tricolored plumage: black, white, and rufous. The head appears to be covered by a black hood that includes the black eye and is bordered laterally by two broad white bands forming a half-collar. The thin beak is also black. The breast is light rufous-chestnut, with the rufous extending laterally onto the flanks. The adult female resembles the male, but is much duller and the plumage pattern appears muted. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, and juveniles also have very different plumage from adults.

EUROPEAN STONECHAT

Flight

The European Stonechat, being sedentary, doesn't need rapid flight, which its short, rounded wings prevent anyway. During local movements, its flight is somewhat bouncy, sometimes fluttering when it flies over its territory. It readily hovers to inspect its surroundings and locate prey. As with all muscipapids, its wings don't beat continuously but in sequences, hence its undulating flight.

Habitat

The European Stonechat, is a bird of open and semi-open habitats, including meadows, cultivated fields, damp valleys, and heaths, whether cultivated or not, with a minimum of woody vegetation, but not too much. The Whinchat is a bird of the plains and the foothills. Its range is quickly limited by altitude and rarely exceeds, on average, 1,300 meters.
These habitats are frequented in all seasons, except for the higher elevations, where the birds descend to the plains in winter.
Adults, and especially the male, often perch prominently with their long, thin black legs to watch over their territory and later protect their nest from potential predators.

Regime - Diet

The European Stonechat is almost exclusively insectivorous. It captures all sorts of invertebrates, including larvae, spiders, small caterpillars, grasshoppers, and insects caught in flight, as well as small mollusks and worms. Its preferred hunting technique remains hunting from ambush from its vantage point, such as a shrub, stake, post, or wire. It also hunts by hovering in place and returning to its initial perch or another location.

Nesting

The European Stonechat is monogamous and territorial. The breeding season extends from March to August and begins early due to the species' sedentary nature. The courtship display is distinctive, notably featuring the male's aerial dance and the female's postures. Mating is brief, occurring between two and four days before the first egg is laid. From April to July, pairs have time to raise two successive broods, except those in higher altitude areas.

The female builds her nest on the ground or at a low height, under a clump of grass or at the base of a small, dense bush. The nest is a large but simple pile of dry grass and leaves with an internal cup lined with hair, sheep's wool, feathers, and other soft materials. A small tunnel in the vegetation often provides access. The female lays 5 to 6 pale blue eggs, finely speckled with reddish-brown. She incubates alone for 14-15 days, then cares for the young for the first few days. Afterward, they are fed in the nest by both adults for about two weeks and until 4 or 5 days after fledging.

Migration

The European Stonechat is a sedentary bird. However, some are partial migrants (birds of Ireland, high-altitude birds).

Protection

Protected species, listed in article 3 of the ministerial decree of October 29, 2009, establishing the list of protected birds throughout the territory and the modalities of their protection.
The European Stonechat is a common species, generally not threatened. Its conservation status is considered favorable in Europe. Locally, this may be affected by human activities.

Song

The song is a short phrase made up of rather grating whistled notes. The tone is somewhat monotonous. The cry is a "sit tjek tjek".

Species sheet