Stonechats

Quick Take

• The stonechat's name is no accident. Its song has a quality that sets it apart from nearly every other songbird. Hear about their song →
• Stonechats are monogamous each breeding season, but that loyalty has a limit, and where it ends affects how their chicks are raised. Explore their breeding behavior →
• One stonechat species faces a shrinking future while the rest thrive, a situation that comes down to a very specific geography. See the threatened species →
• The Latin name for the stonechat genus hides a clue about where these birds actually spend their time that contradicts their typical habitat description. Unpack the Latin name →

Stonechats are small passerine birds with an enormous range spanning three continents. Most species are nonmigratory or short-distance migrants and prefer to live in their habitats year-round. They predominantly inhabit grassland and scrublands, placing their nests in low vegetation.

5 Amazing Stonechat Facts

• Stonechats have an extensive range, covering over 100 countries across three continents.
• Their songs are harsh and sound like two rocks hitting together.
• Grasshoppers and dragonflies are their favorite food.
• The Fuerteventura stonechat is “near threatened” due to habitat loss.
• Stonechats are monogamous during the breeding season, but don’t typically mate for life.

Where to Find the Stonechat

The stonechat lives in over 100 countries across three continents, including Russia, France, Ethiopia, China, Greece, and many more. You can find it throughout Europe, Asia, and Northern, Central, and Southern coastal areas of Africa (from Morocco to Angola to South Africa). Stonechats in Europe inhabit shrubland, coastal dunes, and rough grasslands. You can find them in open grasslands, shrublands, swamp edges, and cultivated land in Africa. Some populations inhabit mountainous areas in Southwest Arabia and Madagascar. 

Nests

Females build their nests in dense vegetation close to the ground. They construct a loose cup of dried grass and line it with animal hair and feathers. Occasionally, stonechats will place their nest in rock crevices or holes in the ground.

Classification and Scientific Name

The stonechat (Saxicola) is in the Muscicapidae family, which includes small passerine birds restricted to the Old World. The family encompasses over 300 species of small arboreal insectivores. The genus, Saxicola, is Latin for “rock-dwelling” and contains 15 species of “chats.”

The 15 species accepted in the Saxicola genus:

• Whinchat
• White-browed bush chat
• White-throated bush chat
• Canary Islands stonechat
• European stonechat
• Siberian stonechat
• Amur stonechat
• African stonechat
• Madagascar stonechat
• Reunion stonechat
• White-tailed stonechat
• Pied bush chat
• Jerdon’s bush chat
• Grey bush chat
• White-bellied bush chat

Size, Appearance, & Behavior

Stonechats are small passerine birds, measuring between four and five inches long and weighing 0.46 to 0.60 ounces, with a seven-to-nine-inch wingspan. They have stout bodies, large heads, and thick necks. Males have black heads, wings, and throats, with white patches on the sides of their necks. Their breasts and flanks are orange, transitioning to a grayish-white on their undersides. Females are a mottled brown color. They also feature short, pointed bills, rounded wings, and short tails. Their songs are harsh and sound like two rocks hitting together, and their calls are quick and squeaky.

Migration Pattern and Timing

Most stonechats are nonmigratory, meaning they are residents in their environments. Some species are partial migrants who may move slightly south for winter. For instance, the common stonechat stays year-round in particular habitats. It’s a resident in Central and Southern Africa (Angola, South Africa, etc.), Madagascar, and parts of Europe (Spain, France, and Italy). In places like China, Russia, Hungary, and Ukraine, stonechats will stay for the breeding season and then move south for winter in areas like Germany, Austria, Morocco, and Algeria.

Diet

Stonechats are insectivores that supplement their diet with seeds and berries.

What Does the Stonechat Eat?

The stonechat eats a wide variety of insects, including worms, slugs, and snails. It primarily eats grasshoppers and dragonflies, but it will also eat invertebrates like spiders. It will eat berries, seeds, and nuts from bushes and trees during winter. And occasionally, it will eat small frogs and lizards. It forages for food on the ground and in low vegetation like shrubs and hedges.

Predators, Threats, and Conservation Status

The IUCN lists most stonechat species as LC or “least concern.” Due to their extensive range and large, stable population, they do not qualify for “threatened” status. The Fuerteventura Stonechat (Saxicola dacotiae) is the only exception and has an NT or “near threatened” status. This species has a small range in the Canary Islands and is experiencing habitat loss from urbanization and the agricultural industry. Studies also indicate tropical stonechats are less likely to lay a second brood due to nest predation and a limited food supply.

What Eats the Stonechat?

Little is known about the stonechat’s predators, but they and their chicks may fall victim to foxes, birds of prey, crows, ravens, and snakes. Males and females defend their nests by producing alarm and defense calls.

Reproduction, Young, and Molting

Stonechats start breeding at around one year old. While they are monogamous during the breeding season, they don’t typically mate for life. Females lay four to six pale blue-green eggs early in the morning during daily intervals. She incubates them by herself for 13 to 14 days, but both parents care for and feed the chicks. Nestlings fledge the nest 12 to 16 days after hatching, and both parents continue to tend to them for four to five days afterward. Males take over feedings for another 5 to 10 days, while the female begins making another nest for her second brood. Stonechats raise two to three broods in one season. These birds have an average lifespan of four to five years.

Population

The exact global population of the stonechat is unknown, but most species appear stable. The Fuerteventura Stonechat is the only stonechat with decreasing numbers. However, insufficient research exists to accurately estimate the magnitude of the decline. Researchers believe they are declining due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation.