Nature Photographers Ltd

Bluethroat - Luscinia svecica - Male. L 13-14cm. Robin-sized bird that feeds on ground. Unobtrusive but obvious when seen well. Red sides to base of tail are diagnostic. Sexes are dissimilar. Adult male has mainly grey-brown upperparts and whitish underparts, with white supercilium and iridescent blue throat and breast, bordered below by bands of black, white and red; typically, blue ‘throat’ has white or red central spot depending on race. Blue colour masked by pale feather fringes in autumn. In other plumages Blue on throat is obscured by pale feather margins, or replaced by cream or white, depending on individual’s sex and age. Voice Utters a sharp tchick call. Status Scarce passage migrant.