Whitethroat Bird Facts (Curruca communis)

Visual Identification

Appearance

The Whitethroat is a small warbler with a distinctive appearance. Males have a grey head, white throat, and pinkish-brown upperparts. The wings are reddish-brown, contrasting with the body. Their legs are yellowish-brown.

Females are duller, have a smaller white throat patch and lack the grey head, with overall brown plumage. Females also have greyish-brown legs. Both sexes have a pale eye-ring and a long tail often held cocked. Juveniles resemble females but have a buffier throat.

Size

Length

13cm to 15cm

Wingspan

20cm to 23cm

Weight

13g to 18g

Colours

Male Female

Primary Colour

Brown Grey

Secondary Colour

White Buff

Beak Colour

Grey Yellow

Leg Colour

Brown Yellow

Primary Colour (Female)

Brown

Secondary Colour (Female)

Buff

Beak Colour (Female)

Grey Brown

Leg Colour (Female)

Brown Grey

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Whitethroat can be found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Whitethroat is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Whitethroat is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Whitethroat is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Whitethroat is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Whitethroat can be found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Whitethroat can be found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Whitethroat is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Whitethroat is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Whitethroat is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Whitethroat is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Whitethroat is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Whitethroats inhabit open countryside with scattered bushes, hedgerows, and young woodland. They are widespread across Europe and western Asia during the breeding season, including the UK and Ireland.

These birds are long-distance migrants, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. In the UK, they are common summer visitors, arriving in April and departing by September for their southward journey. They are most common in central, southern and eastern parts of England, although they breed as far north as Shetland.

Elevation Range

Up to 2,000 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subtropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a 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 Botswana Burkina Faso Cameroon Chad Congo Côte D'Ivoire Cyprus Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Egypt Eritrea Eswatini Ethiopia Faroe Islands Finland Gambia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Guinea Iran Italy Jordan Kenya Lebanon Liberia Libya Malawi Mali Malta Mauritania Morocco Namibia Niger Nigeria Senegal Somalia South Africa Spain Sudan Syria Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Western Sahara Zambia Zimbabwe

Species that are present in the area during their breeding season

Afghanistan Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria China Croatia Czech Republic Estonia France Georgia Hungary Ireland Israel Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Moldova Mongolia Montenegro Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Sweden Switzerland Tajikistan 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

Bahrain Iraq Kuwait Oman Palestine Qatar Saudi Arabia Spain United Arab Emirates Yemen

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

Angola Benin Central African Republic Gabon Iceland Rwanda Seychelles

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 Whitethroat displays remarkable agility, evident in its energetic behaviour and ability to flit swiftly through dense vegetation. Its display flight, involving rising and parachuting, further demonstrates its aerial prowess.

Strength 30

Strength

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

As a small warbler, the Whitethroat's strength is relatively low compared to larger birds. However, it possesses sufficient strength for its size to forage actively and perform its characteristic display flights.

Adaptability 75

Adaptability

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

Whitethroats show good adaptability, inhabiting various open countryside habitats and adjusting to different elevations up to 2,000 metres. Their ability to supplement their insect diet with berries also indicates adaptability.

Aggressiveness 40

Aggressiveness

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

While not overtly aggressive, male Whitethroats display territorial behaviour during breeding season, defending their areas through song and display flights. However, they are not known for exceptional aggression towards other species.

Endurance 70

Endurance

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

The Whitethroat's endurance is noteworthy, particularly considering its long-distance migration between Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. This journey, coupled with its active foraging behaviour, suggests considerable stamina for its size.

Diet

Whitethroats are primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of small invertebrates, including beetles, caterpillars, flies, and spiders. They supplement their diet with berries and small fruits, especially during autumn migration. Redcurrants, blackcurrants, sandalwood and buckthorn form an important share.

They often forage low in vegetation, picking insects from leaves and branches.

Behaviour

Whitethroats are known for their energetic behaviour, often seen flitting through bushes and hedgerows. They forage actively, hopping and flying short distances between branches.

During the breeding season, males perform a distinctive display flight, rising into the air while singing before parachuting back down.

Vocalisation

The Whitethroat's song is a short, scratchy warble, often described as hurried and lacking melody. It typically begins with a few harsh notes followed by a more musical phrase, sounding like "hweet-hweet-hweet-chur-chur-chur".

Males often sing from exposed perches or during display flights. Calls include a harsh, buzzing, churring alarm call and a “wheet-wheet-wheet” contact call.

Nesting & Breeding

Whitethroats typically form monogamous pairs each breeding season. Males arrive at breeding grounds first and establish territories, attracting females with song and display flights.

Males build several nests in a territory which the female then examines for suitability before she ultimately chooses the one that she thinks will stand up to the task of raising young. Occasionally none of the male’s efforts will impress, and a female will take over, constructing a new nest in a different location.

The nest is a cup-shaped structure made of grass and plant stems, usually low in dense vegetation. Females lay 4-5 eggs, which are pale green or bluish with brown speckles.

Incubation lasts about 11-13 days, primarily by the female. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge after 10-12 days but remain dependent on adults for another two weeks.

Conservation and Status

Global Conservation Status

Least Concern ^[1]

While the Whitethroat is currently listed as Least Concern, populations have experienced fluctuations. They faced a significant decline in the late 1960s due to drought in their African wintering grounds.

Conservation efforts focus on maintaining suitable breeding habitats, particularly hedgerows and scrubland in agricultural areas.

Population Data

Global Population Estimate

53,200,000 - 85,500,000 mature individuals ^[2]

Global Population Trend

^[3]

Trend data may be uncertain or fluctuating

Birdwatching Tips

Look for Whitethroats in scrubby areas, hedgerows, and field margins
Listen for their scratchy, warbling song, often delivered from an exposed perch
Watch for their characteristic display flight during the breeding season
In the UK, they are common summer visitors, arriving in April and leaving by September

Additional Information

Quick Facts

Other names:

Common Whitethroat

Family:

Sylviidae

Average Lifespan

2 years

Max Lifespan

9 years ^[4]

Predators

Whitethroats are preyed upon by various birds of prey, including Sparrowhawks and Kestrels. Ground predators such as foxes and domestic cats may also target nests and fledglings.

Did You Know?

Whitethroats can raise two broods in a single breeding season if conditions are favourable.
Their scientific name, Curruca communis, means "common babbler" in Latin.
Male Whitethroats often continue singing well into July, later than many other summer migrants.

References

1 2
website: BirdLife International. 2019. Sylvia communis (amended version of 2017 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T22716910A155623300.
View source
3
report, 2015: EBCC
4
website, 2010: Fransson et al., EURING list of longevity records for European birds
View source