How to identify

Stonechats are Robin-sized birds. Males have striking black heads with white around the side of their neck, orange-red breasts and a mottled brown back. Females have brown heads, brown backs and an orange tinge to their chests. Stonechats are frequently seen flicking their wings while perched, often doing so on the tops of low bushes. As its name suggests, these birds utter a sharp loud call that sounds like two stones being tapped together. They breed in western and southern parts of the UK, but spread out more widely in winter.

Call

Stonechat

Herman van Oosten / xeno-canto

Key

  1. Resident
  2. Passage
  3. Summer
  4. Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Key facts