Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Siberian Stonechat
Saxicola maurus
Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 12.6 g.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Saxicola
- Species maurus
Where it lives
Eastern Caucasus, southeastern Turkey and western Iran, central Siberia, central Asia and the Himalayas to western, central China
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Near Threatened
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Siberian 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 Siberian Stonechat is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL e Caucasus, se Turkey and w Iran, c Siberia, c Asia and the Himalayas to w, c China.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.6 g, with a wing length of about 6.9 cm and a tail of around 4.9 cm.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Siberian Stonechat?
The Siberian Stonechat is a very small bird that weighs around 12.6 g.
Where does the Siberian Stonechat live?
The Siberian Stonechat is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL e Caucasus, se Turkey and w Iran, c Siberia, c Asia and the Himalayas to w, c China, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Siberian Stonechat belong to?
The Siberian Stonechat (Saxicola maurus) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Siberian Stonechat eat?
The Siberian Stonechat is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Siberian Stonechat migrate?
The Siberian Stonechat is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
What sound does the Siberian Stonechat make?
1 real field recording of the Siberian Stonechat — including its song — 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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A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.