Whinchat

The Whinchat is a small, upright bird found in open countryside, slightly smaller than a Robin. Male birds in summer have noticeable white eyebrows that join at the back of the neck, a dark patch on the cheek, and a peachy-orange breast and throat. Female birds and those seen in autumn are duller in colour but still have a clear pale line above the eye. When flying, white patches near the base of the tail help to identify them. The bird usually perches on low plants, fence posts, or wires, and makes short flights to catch insects. The Whinchat visits Britain in the summer, arriving in April and leaving by October. It prefers rough grassland, the edges of moorland, young tree plantations, and hay meadows. It used to be common across the country but is now becoming less common and found only in certain areas, mainly in the uplands of northern and western Britain. In winter, it migrates to the savannahs of tropical Africa.