Page 299 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

CHATS AND THRUSHES
Order Passeriformes Family Turdidae Species Luscinia svecica
Bluethroat red on
tail
bold white stripe
plain over eye
wings
blue and
rufous
dark brown flecks
upperparts
rufous
patch on MALE blue
each side throat
of tail JUVENILE
pale stripe
IN FLIGHT
over eye

dark breast-
band may
MALE (SUMMER; be spotted
RED-SPOTTED FORM) blue
his is chiefly a bird of wet places, such
Tas thickets at the edge of reedbeds and
swampy ground within northern forests.
In the UK,it is a scarce migrant,often FEMALE
in similar places and usually on the
coast,so it is frequently difficult to
watch. Not being a regular garden bird it is often overlooked, despite FLIGHT: low, quite quick, flitting, usually short
its unusual looks. It also sounds remarkable, its rich song including distance into nearby cover.
excellent mimicry. Its general form and actions recall the Robin. MUSICAL SONG
VOICE Sharp, hard tak, softer wheet, Males vigorously sing from concealed
often with hard note as wheet-turrc; perches in dense waterside thickets
song powerful, bright, musical, and low bushes.
accelerating into melodious
outburst with much mimicry.
NESTING Small grassy cup in low
bush; 5–7 eggs; 1 brood; May–June.
FEEDING Forages on ground close
to cover, picking up seeds, insects,
and berries.
REMARK Subspecies L. s. svecica
(North Europe) has rufous central breast
spot; L. s. magna (Eastern Europe) has no spot.
OCCURRENCE
SIMILAR SPECIES SUBSPECIES Breeds locally in France, Low
Countries, Scandinavia, and
plainer head L. s. cyanecula NE and C Europe. Prefers wet
without no stripe (S and C Europe)
stripe over eye thickets, moist woods, heaths, and
bushes on tundra. On migration,
white central
breast spot a few appear west of usual range,
more in coastal thickets and reeds during
uniform tail March to October.
ROBIN NIGHTINGALE Seen in the UK
see p.295 see p.296 JF M A M J JA S O N D
Length 14cm (5 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 20–22cm (8–9in) Weight 15–23g ( 9 ⁄16 – 13 ⁄16oz)
Social Solitary Lifespan Up to 5 years Status Secure
297