European Stonechat landing on a gorse

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European Stonechat reaching out to land on a branch of a dead windblown gorse bush. The latin name Saxicola means "rock-dweller" although they actually inhabit many different types of sparse environment including coastal dunes, open gorse and heathland. Their common name "chat" is an apt description of the sharp loud call they emit which sounds rather like the sound of two stones being tapped together.

Facts about European Stonechats:
Other Name(s): Common Stonechat, Stonechat, Eurasian Stonechat
Scientific Name: Saxicola torquatus
Family: Muscicapidae (Old World Flycathcers)
Size: 11.5–13 cm
Weight: 13–17 g
Diet: Invertebrates, seeds, fruit
Habitat: Heaths, coastal dunes, conifer plantations, open gorse, heather
Distribution: Most of Europe, extending to North Africa in winter
Conservation: Least Concern