Saxicola torquata - Common Stonechat
Feather characters. Barbules are rather short (0.56-0.65 mm) and divided into pigmented nodes and unpigmented internodes. Bell-shaped nodes are equally distributed along the entire length of barbules (38-42 per mm). They all are about the same size, slightly decreasing towards distal end. Distally, nodes may appear more elongated. Villi are rounded and internodes are straight. Minute prongs are present on distal end of barbules and on both sides of the pennulum. The barbules have this typical structure for Passeriformes; pigmented, bell-shaped nodes combined with rounded villi.
Field characters. Size 12.5 cm. Weight 15.3 g (13.0-19.0) (Dunning, 1993). Male with black head and chin, white patch on side of neck, and white wing-patch. Upperparts almost black, with light rump, underparts chestnut, on belly changing into dirty white. In autumn browner and duller. Female and young have streaked brown upperparts, without white on neck or rump. Easy to distinguish from Whinchat by lack of broad supercilium and lack of white on tail. Flicks wings and tail, unlike Whinchat. Perches on top sprays of gorse or other bushes, fences, telephone poles, etc. Nests often on the ground between grass, heath, or other vegetation.
Voice. Usual call 'wheet-trek-trek'. Song consists of variable, rapidly repeated double notes, delivered from a prominent perch or in a vertical dancing song-flight.
Distribution. Common and widespread, but locally rare. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Frequents open country with scattered bushes or low trees, like heather, moors, wastelands, edges of fields, etc.
Food. Mainly insects, which it hunts from perch.