Lesser Whitethroat Bird Facts (Curruca curruca)

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

Resident

Breeding

Non-breeding

Passage

Vagrant

Distribution by Region

Species that can be found in the area throughout the year

Algeria Cameroon Chad Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia Finland Germany Gibraltar Greece India Iran Italy Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Libya Mali Malta Mauritania Morocco Nepal Netherlands Niger Nigeria Oman Pakistan Senegal Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Syria Tajikistan Thailand Tunisia

Species that are present in the area during their breeding season

Albania Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria China Croatia Estonia Faroe Islands France Georgia Hungary Ireland Israel Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Moldova Mongolia Montenegro Norway Poland Romania Russia Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Sweden Switzerland The United Kingdom Turkey Turkmenistan Ukraine Uzbekistan

Species that are present in the area outside their breeding season

South Sudan

Species that pass through the area during migration

Afghanistan Bahrain Iraq Palestine Qatar Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Yemen

Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range

Gambia Iceland Portugal Somalia South Korea United States of America

Behaviour and Ecology

Bird Attributes

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Hover over the icon next to each attribute for more information.

Tap the icon next to each attribute for more information.

Agility 85

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

The Lesser Whitethroat displays remarkable agility, with quick and nimble movements through dense vegetation. Their ability to dart swiftly between branches whilst foraging and their adept flying skills during long-distance migrations demonstrate high agility.

Strength 30

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

As a small warbler, the Lesser Whitethroat possesses limited strength. Their size (11-12.5 cm length, 9-14 g weight) suggests they are not particularly strong compared to larger bird species, though they are adequately strong for their ecological niche.

Adaptability 75

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

Lesser Whitethroats show good adaptability, thriving in various habitats from open woodland to scrubland and hedgerows. Their ability to adjust their diet seasonally and navigate long-distance migrations indicates considerable adaptability to changing environments.

Aggressiveness 40

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

Whilst Lesser Whitethroats defend their territories during breeding season, they are not notably aggressive birds. Their solitary nature outside breeding season and lack of reported aggressive behaviours suggest a moderate to low aggression level.

Endurance 80

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

The Lesser Whitethroat demonstrates impressive endurance, particularly evident in their long-distance migrations of up to 5000 km annually. This journey, coupled with their ability to survive in diverse climates from temperate Europe to sub-Saharan Africa, indicates high endurance.

Diet

Lesser Whitethroats primarily feed on insects and their larvae, including caterpillars, beetles, and flies. They forage by gleaning prey from leaves and branches, occasionally hovering to catch insects in flight. In autumn, they supplement their diet with small berries and fruits.

Behaviour

Lesser Whitethroats are known for their quick, agile movements as they forage through dense vegetation. They often feed low in bushes or trees, darting from branch to branch.

These birds are generally solitary or seen in pairs during the breeding season, becoming more gregarious during migration.

Vocalisation

The Lesser Whitethroat's song is a distinctive, rapid rattle often described as a 'mechanical trill'. It sounds like a fast 'tut-tut-tut-tut-tut'. Their call is a sharp, hard 'teck' or 'chack'.

During the breeding season, males sing persistently from exposed perches to defend territory and attract mates.

Nesting & Breeding

Lesser Whitethroats form monogamous pairs during the breeding season, typically from May to July. Males establish territories and attract females with their distinctive song.

The nest is a small, neat cup made of grass, plant stems, and spider webs, usually well-hidden in dense vegetation. Females lay 4-5 eggs, which are white or pale grey with dark speckles.

Both parents incubate the eggs for about 11-12 days. The chicks fledge after 10-12 days but remain dependent on their parents for another two weeks.

Conservation and Status

Global Conservation Status

Least Concern ^[1]

The Lesser Whitethroat is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. However, like many migratory birds, it faces threats from habitat loss along its migration routes and in its wintering grounds. Climate change may also affect its breeding success and migration patterns in the future.

Population Data

Global Population Estimate

21,300,000 - 35,500,000 mature individuals ^[2]

Global Population Trend

^[3]

Trend data may be uncertain or fluctuating

Additional Information

Quick Facts

Other names:

Sylvia curruca

Family:

Sylviidae

Average Lifespan

2 to 5 years

Predators

Lesser Whitethroats are preyed upon by various birds of prey, including Sparrowhawks and Merlins. Their nests are vulnerable to corvids, such as Magpies and Jays, as well as small mammals like weasels.

Did You Know?

Lesser Whitethroats can travel up to 5,000 km (3,100 miles) during their annual migration.
They are one of the latest summer migrants to arrive in the UK each year.
Despite their name, Lesser Whitethroats are not closely related to the Common Whitethroat. They can be told apart from the larger whitethroat as they have shorter tails and the darker cheek patches are missing in, the larger species.