Photo: Alun Williams333 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
European Stonechat
Saxicola rubicola
European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 15.3 g.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Saxicola
- Species rubicola
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The European Stonechat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The European Stonechat is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL w, s Europe and n Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.3 g, with a wing length of about 6.5 cm and a tail of around 4.5 cm.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the European Stonechat?
The European Stonechat is a small bird that weighs around 15.3 g.
Where does the European Stonechat live?
The European Stonechat is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL w, s Europe and n Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the European Stonechat belong to?
The European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the European Stonechat eat?
The European Stonechat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the European Stonechat migrate?
The European Stonechat is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
What sound does the European Stonechat make?
1 real field recording of the European Stonechat — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.