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BLUETHROAT
| Characteristics: |
14 cm long and weighs between 17 and 20 g. The male is brownish above, whitish below with a brightly coloured iridescent-blue, white and orange bib. The female has a similar overall colouring but lacks the extensive and brightly coloured bib. Both sexes have bright orange-rust patches at the base of the tail, conspicuous in flight.
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| Call: |
The usual contact call is a very quiet, deep thack and may be the first sign of the presence of a Bluethroat lurking in the shadows. The song is fast and varied, a rich blend of melodious and harsh sounding passages, often incorporating mimicries (imitations) of the songs and calls of other birds. |
| Habitat: |
The Bluethroat is found in moors, thickets in swamp areas and bushes on the banks of rivers and lakes. |
| Distribution: |
The Bluethroat is a summer visitor to Central and Northern Europe, arriving in March and departing by October. In Britain it is a rare passage migrant but it has occasionally nested in Scotland.
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| Biology: |
The Bluethroat feeds on insects and their larvae and on other small animals as well as berries. It builds a cup nest from plant matter in dense vegetation low to the ground. A full clutch consists of 5 to 7 greenish or brownish eggs. First clutch at the end of April; 1 brood a year.
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Bird Call
