Whinchat

Saxicola rubetra

Scarce Summer Visitor from April-October with 20,000 breeding pairs in Britain, mainly in the North & West & declining.

Also breeds in mainland Europe & North West Asia.

Winters in tropical & South Africa.

The Male in breeding plumage has a blackish face mask almost encircled by a strong white supercilium and malar stripe, a bright orange-buff throat and breast, and small white wing patches on the greater coverts and inner median coverts.

The Female is duller overall, in particular having browner face mask, pale buffy-brown breast, and a buff supercilium and malar stripe, and smaller or no white wing patches.

Juveniles are similar to Females, but duller.

The call is a hue-tac-tac, the 'tac' softer and less grating.