Whinchat

Whinchats inhabit open areas with low vegetation and scattered bushes or trees. They are found across much of Europe and western Asia, breeding in northern regions and migrating to sub-Saharan Africa for winter.

In the UK, they are summer visitors, arriving in April and departing by October. They are more common in northern and western Britain, favouring upland areas with bracken and gorse.

Sightings are increasingly limited to the Scottish uplands, northern England and central Wales, Exmoor, Dartmoor and the Isle of Man, where they breed in grasslands, heathlands and open meadows. One exception is Salisbury Plain in southwest England, where small breeding populations exist.

Whinchats primarily feed on insects, including beetles, flies, and small moths. Spiders, worms, larvae and snails are also commonly eaten.

They often hunt from a perch, swooping down to catch prey on the ground or in mid-air. During migration, they may supplement their diet with small berries and seeds.

Whinchats are often seen perched upright on tall stems or fence posts, from which they make short flights to catch insects. They have a characteristic habit of flicking their wings and tail when alighting.

During the breeding season, males perform aerial displays to attract mates and defend territories.

Only male Whinchats sing, and the song is a short, hurried warble interspersed with harsh notes. Their most distinctive call is a sharp 'tick' or 'tack', often repeated.

This can sometimes be heard at night, particularly in spring. It’s less common to hear Whinchats singing on their winter territories. During courtship, males may incorporate mimicry of other bird species into their songs.

As well as the male’s chirping song, a harsh alarm call that sounds like ‘tec-tec-tec’ can be heard when intruders approach the nest site.