Whinchat

Latin Saxicola rubetra (L.)
Estonian Kadakatäks

Also known as: chat, small rock-dweller

Status in Estonia

Breeding and migratory bird.

Description

The whinchat is a small bird with a short tail and ‘stocky’ build and long legs. It sits straight, bobs and flicks its tail, takes off in a quick low flight and goes to perch on a new plant stem or fence wire. All plumages feature a wide bright brow stripe. The preen gland area is yellow-brown with dark spots, whereas the rest of the upper section is brown with dark stripes. The male bird’s sides of the head are brownish-black with a white border, orange-cream throat and breast and dark wings with one or two spots. The female has a cream-white brow stripe, sides of the head are light brown and typically has no wing mark.

Size

Body length 12–14 cm, wingspan 21–24 cm, body mass 16–24 g.

Similar species

Northern wheatear, European stonechat, sedge warbler.

Distribution

It is distributed in Europe and the Caucasus as well as in some regions of Asia: forest, steppe and Mediterranean zones and highlands. The whinchat is a widespread and very common breeding bird in Estonia.

Population

Estonia has 150,000–250,000 breeding pairs.

Occurrence in Estonia

It arrives in Estonia in late April or early May. It begins to gather in flocks towards the end of July and in early August and then departs during September.

Diet

Beetles, flies, butterflies, caterpillars, Hymenoptera, spiders, molluscs, worms and other small invertebrates make up the majority of their diet.

Habitat

It mostly lives in meadows, pastures, forest edges and clearings, clear cut areas, burnt woodlands, fens and less so in juniper patches and raised bogs. The distinctive sound is the male birds’ call while they are perched on plant stems. It is always in open landscapes, frequently sitting on bushes or herbaceous plants.

Nesting

The nest is built on the ground in a hollow in the middle of lush thick grass or occasionally beneath the roots of fallen trees. Dry straw, parts of leaves and moss are utilised as building materials, with thin grass roots, mane hairs, fur and plant fibres used as lining. In the second half of May, the female bird lays 5–7 green or bluish eggs, occasionally with rusty-looking spots, which she incubates for 12–13 days. The chicks spend the same amount of time in the nest, constantly requesting food. After that, they wander from the nest, but they are still unable to fly or find food. Parents assist them for another 2–3 weeks. The chicks learn to fly during the last days of June.

Conservation status and protection

Not under protection.

Distribution and population in Lääne County

The whinchat is a common migratory and breeding bird in Lääne County. In Lääne County, it is primarily found in beach meadows with reeds and beach pastures with junipers and bushes. The whinchat also breeds in big numbers in the mosaic landscape, where bushes can be found in the fields.
The whinchat can be seen in Matsalu from late April until early September. They are a widespread bird species here and are commonly found around the Puise Peninsula, Penijõe hiking trail and Keemu Port. During the spring migration in early May, many whinchats stop in the Spithami village meadow, where dozens of them can be counted