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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

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

Distribution

Key

Illustrations

Audio

Patrik Aberg, Xeno-canto

Characteristics

Lesser whitethroat

Lesser whitethroat
  • Size: robin-sized or smaller
  • Feather colours: brown, black, white, grey, cream/buff
  • Beak colours: black/dark grey
  • Beak length: short
  • Beak thickness: short
  • Leg colour: black/grey, brown
  • Behaviour: part of flock, bird hops on the ground, eats fruit

Similar birds