Scientific name: Luscinia svecica (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bird group: Thrushes and allies
Field characters. 14 cm. Resembles European Robin in structure and behaviour. Bright rufous base to dark brown tail is conspicuous in flight and when tail is spread. Male in spring with brilliant blue gorget, separated from creamy underparts by black and red-brown bands. Two subspecies occur in region: one with a white spot on the blue breast (cyanecula) in central Europe, the other with a brick-red spot (svecica) in northern Europe. In autumn throat usually whitish, but also with some blue. Female has the gorget whitish, defined by a dark breast-band and stripes at the sides, with some dark spots and sometimes more or less blue round the borders and with traces of chestnut. Upperparts earth-brown, head with distinct cream supercilium. Juvenile as juvenile Robin but much blacker and with rufous base of tail. Nests on the ground between shrubs and dense vegetation. Often sings at night.
Voice. A sharp "tacc", a soft hweet", and a guttural "turrc". Song very musical and varied, resembling Common Nightingale and Woodlark, but higher, weaker and less varied, mixed with metallic and grasshopper-like notes. Imitates frequently. Usually starts song low in bush or tree and, while singing, climbs higher until near the top, then flies off to the ground or other tree in display flight.
Distribution. White-throated form rare summer visitor in central part of region, but may be locally abundant. Red-throated form abundant in the north.
Habitat. Inhabits low soggy marshes with trees and bushes, like willows and alders; also moist overgrown ditches and osier beds.
Food. Mainly invertebrates, also some seeds and fruits. Feeds on the ground or low in the vegetation.