Whinchat
Saxicola rubetra
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyMuscicapidae (Papamosques del Vell Món)
- GenusSaxicola (Stonechats and Bushchats)
- SpeciesSaxicola rubetra (Whinchat)
The whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) is a small migratory passerine bird breeding in Europe and western Asia and wintering in central Africa. At one time considered to be in the thrush family, Turdidae, it is now placed in the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. Both sexes have a strong supercilium, brownish upper parts mottled darker, a pale throat and breast, a pale buff to whitish belly, and a blackish tail with white bases to the outer tail feathers, but in the breeding season, the male has an orange-buff throat and breast. The whinchat is a solitary species, favouring open grassy country with rough vegetation and scattered small shrubs. It perches in elevated locations ready to pounce on the insects and other small invertebrates that form its diet. The nest is built by the female on the ground in coarse vegetation, with a clutch of four to seven eggs being laid. Wikipedia →
<5% of wildlife watchers report a Whinchat sighting in iSimangaliso Wetland Park, based on 9 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at iSimangaliso Wetland Park
African Stonechat
Saxicola torquatus
Redcap Robinchat
Cossypha natalensis
Brown Scrub Robin
Erythropygia signata
Ashy Alseonax
Muscicapa caerulescens
African Dusky Flycatcher
Muscicapa adusta
Southern Black Flycatcher
Melaenornis pammelaina
White-browed Scrub Robin
Erythropygia leucophrys
Bearded Scrub Robin
Erythropygia quadrivirgata
Fiscal Flycatcher
Sigelus silens
Pale Flycatcher
Bradornis pallidus
Grey Tit-Flycatcher
Myioparus plumbeus
Sentinel Rock-Thrush
Monticola explorator
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Whinchat in iSimangaliso Wetland Park?
About 1% of wildlife watchers report a Whinchat sighting in iSimangaliso Wetland Park, based on 9 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Whinchat in iSimangaliso Wetland Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Whinchat in iSimangaliso Wetland Park in our monthly data.