A pair of European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)

 

Male Stonechat

This is a male Stonechat, one of a pair that I saw today feeding as the daylight faded.  The male when  in breeding condition has a smart black head and a more intense brick red breast. But in the winter their plumage is like a washed-out version but there is always a white wing bar and a splash of white on the neck.. This is a species that I am very familiar with especially in the spring and summer out on Dartmoor where they set up breeding territories.  It will not be long now before the male above starts to develop his breeding plumage, we are very nearly in to February now and spring is on the way. The female, even in breeding condition is a much more sombre clad individual lacking the black head and white markings.

 

 

Female Stonechat

Both male and female share the same pattern of markings on the back but the female never has a black head nor white collar