The RSPB: Lesser whitethroat

Conservation status: Green

As the name suggests, this warbler is smaller than its cousin the whitethroat. It sports dark cheek feathers that contrast with the pale throat and can give it a 'masked' look. When its flits from cover you might see the white outer feathers of its tail. Lesser whitethroats are hard to see and often only noticed when they give their harsh, rattling song, or 'tacking' call.

Overview

Latin name

Sylvia curruca

Family

Warblers and allies (Sylviidae)

Where to see them

The lesser whitethroat is a fairly secretive warbler which lives in areas of scrub and hedges. It's found in England, Wales and southern Scotland, but absent from upland areas.

When to see them

They start to arrive in the UK from April and most leave the country by mid-October.

What they eat

Insects in spring and summer; in autumn, these warblers feed up on berries to build up their fat reserves before migration.

Population

Europe	UK breeding*	UK wintering*	UK passage*
-	64,000 territories	-	-

* UK breeding is the number of pairs breeding annually. UK wintering is the number of individuals present from October to March. UK passage is the number of individuals passing through on migration in spring and/or autumn.