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Common Whitethroat

Common Whitethroat

Curruca communis

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The Common Whitethroat is a lively, scrub-loving warbler that breeds across most of Europe and temperate western Asia and winters in tropical Africa. Males have a grey head and a clean white throat, while females are browner. It is known for its scratchy, rambling song, delivered from bush tops or in a short song flight, and its habit of flicking its long tail.

Did you know?

  • Despite the name, it is not closely related to the Lesser Whitethroat.
  • Its short, fluttering song flight is a common sight over hedgerows in spring.

Voice

Song
Call
Alarm call

About the species

Identification

In bushes it is recognised by the combination of a white throat, rusty-brown wing panel and fairly long tail, often cocked. The adult male in spring is brighter, with a clearly greyer head and extensive pure white throat. Calls include a harsh “tchack” and the typical brisk song phrase, which help separate it from other warblers.

Family

Sylviidae

Size

Small (sparrow)

Colours

brown, grey, white, orange

About the habitat

Open, bushy habitats: hedgerows, bramble and willow scrub, young plantations, forest edges, clearings and field margins with tall herbs.

Diet

Mainly insects and other small invertebrates in the breeding season; in late summer and autumn also berries and other soft fruit, which fuel its migration.

Behaviour

Active and restless in low shrubs and hedges. Males sing a fast, scratchy warble from exposed perches and often rise in a short, fluttering song flight. It nests low in dense vegetation such as brambles or nettles, usually laying 3–7 eggs. The alarm call is a harsh “tchack”.

Sources

Photo: Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common Whitethroat.jpg

Sound: Benoît Van Hecke, XC546167, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://xeno-canto.org/546167

Sound: Sonothèque ADVL, XC707325, CC0 1.0 https://xeno-canto.org/707325

Sound: Sonothèque ADVL, XC707327, CC0 1.0 https://xeno-canto.org/707327

Text: Wikipedia (English) + FinBIF species descriptions, CC BY-SA 4.0; FinBIF: CC BY 4.0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_whitethroat

See also