Stonechat

Overview

Stonechat: Small thrush with black back and white rump. Underparts are white except for orange breast. Head is black and collar is white. Wings are black with white stripes. Tail is black. Found in open meadows and marsh edges. Forages for insects on ground; also picks off vegetation.

Range and Habitat

Stonechat: Casual to accidental on islands off the coast of Alaska. Common in Siberia. Found in dry grasslands, moors, damp meadows, and hills.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Stonechat utters a sharp loud call that sounds like two stones being tapped together.
In Britain and Europe this species is in decline, mostly due to loss of habitat.
A group of thrushes are collectively known as a "hermitage" and a "mutation" of thrushes.

The Stonechat is a small member of the thrush family, and is mostly black and white in color patterns. The preferred habitat of the Stonechat is open meadows and edges of marshlands. This species forages for food on the ground or gleans it from local low vegetation. The Stonechat is commonly found in Siberia in dry grasslands, moors, damp meadows and hillsides. It may also be seen occasionally on islands off the coast of Alaska. The conservation rating for the White-tailed and Reunion Stonechat is Least Concern, but the Fuerteventura Stonechat is classified as Endangered.