male	male female European distribution female on reedstem

Identification

Male Stonechats, especially in spring are unmistakable, with their tricoloured plumage: black heads, orange breasts and big white blobs on the sides of the neck. The same pattern can just about be seen on females and juveniles but they are brown not black on the head and upperparts and the orange and white areas are much less pronounced. Some such birds may resemble Whinchats, but Stonechats have fatter bodies, shorter wings and longer tails and, above all, they have no eyestripe to break up their generally dark heads.

Habitat

Breeds and winters in heathland and sometimes moorland, especially gorse-covered heaths by the coast.

Migration

Birds in the south and west are resident. Those towards the north and east winter around the Mediterranean basin. Northernmost birds from Russia may even winter as far away as south-east Asia. Birds which breed in Britain concentrate around the west coast in winter, although some also migrate as far as Iberia.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Stonechat is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Ram Head, Waterford 28/07/2010	Dunwich Heath NT, Suffolk 27/04/2010	Holy Is., Northumbs 24/07/2010	Holy Is., Northumbs 24/07/2010	Holy Is., Northumbs 24/07/2010
Jerzmanki, Lower Silesia, Poland 23/07/2010	Jerzmanki, Lower Silesia, Poland 23/07/2010	Jerzmanki, Lower Silesia, Poland 23/07/2010	Jerzmanki, Lower Silesia, Poland 23/07/2010	Dunwich Heath NT, Suffolk 22/07/2010

 View all pictures of European Stonechat

Stonechat breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Britain
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Lichtenstein
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Moldova
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob11390.htm   BTO BirdFacts: European Stonechat	Edit this link
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	Stonechats: A Status Change in Lancashire	Wednesday 7th May 2003
	In common with birders in many parts of the country, Peter Woodruff has noticed how much commoner Stonechats are now compared with just a few years ago.

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