Lesser Whitethroat

Curruca curruca

The soft, scratchy warble of this small songbird fills hedgerows and scrublands across Eurasia, making it a favourite among sharp-eared birdwatchers worldwide.

Share this bird:

Visual Identification

Appearance

The Lesser Whitethroat is a small, slender warbler with a distinctive grey head and white throat. Its upperparts are greyish-brown, contrasting with paler underparts. The wings are dark with lighter edges, and it has a long tail. In some birds, a lighter eye stripe is faintly visible.

Males and females look similar, with juveniles showing a slightly browner plumage. Their appearance has little seasonal variation, maintaining a consistent look year-round.

Size

Length

11cm to 12.5cm

Wingspan

17cm to 21cm

Weight

9g to 14g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Grey Brown

Secondary Colour

White

Beak Colour

Black

Leg Colour

Grey

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Lesser Whitethroat can be found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Lesser Whitethroat can be found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Lesser Whitethroat is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Lesser Whitethroat is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Lesser Whitethroat is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Lesser Whitethroat can be found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Lesser Whitethroat is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Lesser Whitethroat is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Lesser Whitethroat is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Lesser Whitethroat is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Lesser Whitethroat is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Lesser Whitethroat is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Lesser Whitethroats breed across much of Europe and western Asia, favouring open woodland, scrubland, and hedgerows. They prefer areas with dense undergrowth for nesting and foraging.

In the UK, they are summer visitors, arriving in April and departing by September. During winter, they migrate to sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the Indian subcontinent, utilising a variety of habitats en route.

Elevation Range

Up to 2,350 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subtropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Lesser Whitethroat. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons