# European Stonechat (*Saxicola rubicola*) The European Stonechat is a small, colorful bird that loves to hop around in fields and bushes. It has a sweet, cheerful song and can often be seen perched on a tall stem, looking for insects to eat. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![European Stonechat](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Saxicola_rubicola_-Belgium_-female-8_%281%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Frank Vassen from Brussels, Belgium, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saxicola_rubicola_-Belgium_-female-8_%281%29.jpg) ## Appearance The European Stonechat is a small, striking bird. Males have a black head with a contrasting white collar, an orange-red breast, and a dark brown back with a small white wing patch. Females are duller, with a brownish head and streaked underparts, lacking the male's distinct black and white markings. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Muscicapidae - **Genus:** Saxicola ## Interesting facts - Despite their small size, stonechats can fiercely protect their nests from much bigger intruders! - Male stonechats sometimes raise two different broods of chicks with two different females in one summer! - Stonechats get their name from their call, which sounds exactly like two stones clicking together! - These tiny birds often perch on the very tops of bushes, acting like little sentinels watching over their home! ## Special abilities - **Perch Patrol:** European Stonechat can perch on prominent spots to scan for insects, helping them spot tiny prey from a distance. - **Chack-Chatter:** European Stonechat has a distinctive call sounding like two stones tapping together, which helps them communicate and mark territory. - **Feathered Forester:** European Stonechat has excellent camouflage while nesting on the ground, helping them hide their eggs and young from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 11.5-13.5 cm - **Wingspan:** 18-21 cm - **Weight:** 0.013-0.017 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-6 - **Incubation:** 13-15 days - **Migration Distance:** 1500 km ## Diet & Feeding They mostly eat creepy-crawlies like insects and spiders they snatch from plants or the ground. - **Primary Foods:** Insects (beetles, flies, caterpillars, ants), Spiders, Small worms, Occasionally berries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Common Kestrel (*Falco tinnunculus*) — Preys on eggs and nestlings. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Hunts ground-nesting birds and their young. - **Shelter:** [Common Heather](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-heather) (*Calluna vulgaris*) — Uses dense bushes for nesting and cover. - **Hunts:** Red Wood Ant (*Formica rufa*) — Forages for these ants on the ground. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify European Stonechat? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is European Stonechat? 11.5-13.5 cm ### What is European Stonechat's wingspan? 18-21 cm ### How much does European Stonechat weigh? 0.013-0.017 kg ### How long does European Stonechat live? 2-5 years ### How fast can European Stonechat move? 45 km/h ### What does European Stonechat eat? They mostly eat creepy-crawlies like insects and spiders they snatch from plants or the ground. ### Where is European Stonechat usually found? Grasslands ## Where to spot - [Ammergau Alps Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ammergau-alps-nature-park) — Bayern, DE · Park - [Bourtanger Moor–Veenland Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bourtanger-moor-veenland-nature-park) — Niedersachsen, DE · Park - [Naturpark Hohe Mark](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-hohe-mark) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park - [Picos de Europa National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/picos-de-europa-national-park) — Spain, ES · National Park [View all places to see European Stonechat](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/european-stonechat) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [European Stonechat: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-stonechat)