Anne Cotton

An intermediate-sized songbird that feeds on invertebrates and some seeds. The population has declined in most of Europe. Whinchat breed in wet grassy or marshy areas with shrubs, with a range which includes all of Europe except the far S and far N. Although it is mainly a sub-Saharan migrant, individuals also winter in N Africa and the Near East.

Season of assessment

B

Population trendDecreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		15400000-21100000,18100000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Whinchat

The predominant direction of movement on the European continent is NE–SW, although birds from the British Isles move NNW–SSE. The majority of European birds move through Iberia on their way to Africa, with a minority from E and C Europe and from Fennoscandia migrating via Italy to Africa and back. There is one exceptional recovery in Lebanon of a Scandinavian bird that moved SE. There have not been any recoveries linking the E African wintering grounds and eastern breeding sites, and connectivity seems low in this species (Blackburn et al. 2017; Burgess et al. 2020). Birds from Nigeria were tracked to E. Europe (Blackburn et al. 2019).

Recoveries by Condition for Whinchat

Annual numbers encountered increased from around 150 before 2000 to around 200 between 2000 and 2008 and between 400 and 800 in 2013-2018. Up to 1960 about 77% of the recoveries were of dead birds, including 28% that were shot. However, in 1961–1990 this decreased to 27% and live recoveries increased from 13% to 70%. Since 1991 97% of recoveries have been of live birds.

Annual Movements for Whinchat

The first birds wintering in sub-Saharan Africa reach S Europe in Mar, and arrive on their breeding grounds in Apr, although many are still on migration in N Africa, Iberia and Italy. By May the last migrants are in S Europe; mainly birds breeding in the British Isles and Fennoscandia. In Jun–Jul the birds have reached their breeding grounds. In Aug the first autumn migrants arrive in Iberia and in Sep most birds are migrating S within Europe. By Oct most birds are in S Europe and the early ones are already in N Africa. During Nov– Feb most recoveries are in Morocco, Italy and, especially, Iberia. With very low encounter probabilities there are few sub-Saharan winter recoveries which have come from W Europe, the British Isles and Fennoscandia.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Whinchat

Breeding birds from all regions are found in Iberia, especially Portugal, in Sep-Oct. Those breeding in S Fennoscandia are also found in N Italy in Sep–Oct. Birds encountered in Mar-May in Morocco are from all breeding regions in Europe. However, birds in Algeria in Mar-May exclude any from W Europe. Those in Italy in Aprare from breeding areas in Central Europe and Fennoscandia, while those in Iberia in Nov– Feb breed in the British Isles, W Europe and Fennoscandia. A bird encountered in N Italy in Dec was from N Finland.

Henk van der Jeugd

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Blackburn, E., Burgess, M., Freeman, B., Risely, A., Izang, A., Ivande, S., ... & Cresswell, W.2017 . Low and annually variable migratory connectivity in a long‐distance migrant: Whinchats Saxicola rubetra may show a bet‐hedging strategy. Ibis 159 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12509) : 902–918
Blackburn, E., Burgess, M., Freeman, B., Risely, A., Izang, A., Ivande, S., ... & Cresswell, W.2019 . Spring migration strategies of Whinchat Saxicola rubetra when successfully crossing potential barriers of the Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea. Ibis 161 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12610) : 131–146
Burgess, M. D., Finch, T., Border, J. A., Castello, J., Conway, G., Ketcher, M., ... & Henderson, I. G.2020 . Weak migratory connectivity, loop migration and multiple non‐breeding site use in British breeding Whinchats Saxicola rubetra. Ibis 162 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12825) : 1292–1302

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