Bluethroat

Bluethroat, male

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A small, brightly colored bird of the far north, the Bluethroat is found in North America only on the tundra of Alaska and the Yukon Territory. It is common, however, across Europe and Asia where it is not restricted to tundra habitat.

Description

• Small songbird.
• Gray back.
• White belly.
• Chestnut patch at base of tail.
• Male has blue throat with red center, female has white throat with a blue band across the bottom.
• Skulks in shrubs.

• Size: 14 cm (6 in)
• Weight: 15-22 g (0.53-0.78 ounces)

Sex Differences

Male with blue throat, female with white.

Sound

Song varied, with rich musical notes, hisses, trills, and mimicry of other birds. Call a harsh "tacc, tacc" and a "hweet."

Conservation Status

No information on population trends in Alaska or Yukon. Not considered threatened.

Other Names

Gorgebleue à miroir (French)
Pechiazul común (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• Male Bluethroats from Alaska to northern Europe have red centers to the blue throat. Those in central and southern Europe have white throat centers or entirely blue throats.
• The Bluethroat is one of the handful of birds that breed in North America and winter in Asia. Exactly where the American birds go in winter is unknown.

• The male Bluethroat is quite striking with its blue and red throat and its flashing reddish tail. However, it normally is very secretive and hard to see as it skulks through thick vegetation. It is easy to see only while it is singing or performing flight displays. When seen in the open, it often jerks or holds its tail up and quickly fans it open to flash the rufous patches at the base.

Sources used to construct this page:

Guzy, M. J., and B. J. McCaffery. 2002. Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica). In The Birds of North America, No. 670 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.