The bluethroat is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. It is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in wet birch wood or bushy swamp in Europe and across the Palearctic with a foothold in western Alaska. It nests in tussocks or low in dense bushes. It winters in the Iberian Peninsula, the northern half of Africa, and in southern Asia. The bluethroat, and similar small European flycatchers, are often called chats.
Region
Palearctic (Europe to Central Asia) and western Alaska
Typical Environment
Breeds in moist shrublands, willow and alder thickets, wet birch woods, boggy meadows, and tundra scrub near lakes and rivers. It nests low in dense vegetation or among sedge tussocks for concealment. During migration and winter it uses reedbeds, marsh edges, hedgerows, irrigated fields, rice paddies, and scrub in open farmland. The range spans Europe across Siberia to the Russian Far East, with a small breeding foothold in western Alaska and wintering grounds in Iberia, North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Male bluethroats sport a vivid blue throat bordered with black, white, and rufous bands, often with a central white or chestnut spot depending on subspecies. They are accomplished mimics, weaving the songs and calls of other birds into their rich, tinkling repertoire. When alarmed, they flick their tail to reveal bright rufous bases. Nests are well concealed on or near the ground in dense cover.
Breeding distribution of the bluethroat subspecies
Head and neck in Katon-Karagay National Park, Kazakhstan
Calling
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, fluttering flights and frequent tail flicks
Social Behavior
Breeds in solitary pairs with males singing conspicuously from shrubs or fence posts. The cup nest is placed on or near the ground in dense cover; clutches typically contain 5–7 eggs. Both parents feed the young, and adults may perform distraction displays to draw predators away.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Rich, varied warble with metallic trills and frequent mimicry of other birds, delivered from exposed perches or during brief song-flights. The call is a sharp, dry ‘tac’ or ‘tick’ given from cover, with a softer, thin seep in flight.
Plumage
Male with bright blue bib bordered by black, white, and rufous bands; brown upperparts with a strong pale supercilium; whitish underparts with buffy flanks and rufous tail bases. Female is duller with a buffy or whitish throat, often a faint blue crescent, and similar rufous tail patches. Both sexes show a clean white belly and fine streaking on the breast sides.
Diet
Primarily feeds on insects and other invertebrates such as beetles, flies, spiders, and larvae. In late summer and autumn it supplements its diet with berries and small fruits, especially when preparing for migration. Occasionally takes small mollusks or worms in wet habitats.
Preferred Environment
Forages close to the ground in damp thickets, along muddy margins, reed edges, and among sedges. Often gleans from low vegetation or picks prey off the ground, making short dashes and tail flicks while feeding.
