The Bluethroat is a small songbird that breeds across northern and central Europe and Asia. With its vibrant blue bib and orange-red tail spots, the Bluethroat is a striking bird that stands out against its surroundings.
What are the main physical features of the Bluethroat?
The most distinctive feature of the Bluethroat is the vibrant blue bib or patch on the throat and upper breast of the male birds during breeding season. This bib can range in color from a bright sky blue to a deeper indigo blue. The bib is bordered below with a broad black strip.
Females and juvenile Bluethroats lack the vibrant blue bib and instead have a pale cream or buff colored throat and breast.
Plumage
In terms of overall plumage, Bluethroats have:
- An orange-red tail with a black terminal band
- Brown upperparts
- Pale underparts streaked with brown
- A distinctive white supercilium (eyebrow stripe)
- Dark lores (stripe between bill and eye)
The female Bluethroat is a paler, buffier version of the male with less vivid plumage overall. Juveniles resemble females but with speckled underparts.
Size and shape
Bluethroats are small, rotund songbirds with a sturdy build. Key aspects of their size and shape include:
- Length: 13-14 cm
- Wingspan: 21-24 cm
- Plump, rounded body shape
- Short tail
- Small head and slender bill
How does Bluethroat plumage vary between subspecies?
There are several recognized subspecies of Bluethroat, which differ slightly in the color and pattern of their plumage:
White-spotted Bluethroat
The white-spotted Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica cyanecula) is the nominate or original subspecies. It has vivid sky blue bibs bordered with black. Males have distinctive white tail spots, while females are a pale sandy color below with heavy streaking.
Red-spotted Bluethroat
The red-spotted Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica svecica) is found across northern Eurasia. As the name suggests, males have red tail spots instead of white. They also have a darker, indigo blue bib.
White-tailed Bluethroat
The white-tailed Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica pallidogularis) is found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Males resemble the nominate but with broader white sides to the tail.
Himalayan Bluethroat
The Himalayan Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica alticola) is native to central China. It is similar to the red-spotted but with a darker gray back and whiter underparts.
Pallas’s Bluethroat
Pallas’s Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica pallasi) is found across Siberia and Mongolia. It is the palest subspecies overall, with sandy brown upperparts and minimal streaking below.
How do Bluethroats differ across seasons?
The plumage and appearance of Bluethroats changes somewhat across seasons:
Breeding Season
During the breeding season, male Bluethroats sport their most colorful plumage. Their blue bibs are vibrant and well-defined. The white supercilium above the eyes stands out brightly.
Non-Breeding Season
After breeding, male Bluethroats undergo a molt into a duller non-breeding plumage. The blue bib becomes obscured by gray feather tips. The supercilium loses definition. Females and juveniles change the least across seasons.
Immature Birds
Juvenile Bluethroats under a year old resemble females but are buffier below with heavy dark streaking on the underparts. The white supercilium is less defined.
Do male and female Bluethroats look different?
Male and female Bluethroats differ quite markedly in appearance:
Males
- Vibrant blue throat and breast bib
- Bright white supercilium
- Bold black lores
- Red or white tail spots
Females
- Lack a blue bib, instead buffy tan on throat/breast
- PalER brown upperparts
- Less defined supercilium
- Heavier streaking on buff underparts
- Red tail spots but less bold than male
The blue bib and associated black and white facial markings are a sexually dimorphic trait limited to breeding males. Females are a paler, plainer version of males.
What colors and markings help identify a Bluethroat?
Key identification features of the Bluethroat include:
Bright blue bib
The sky blue throat and breast bib on breeding males is the most instantly recognizable field mark of a Bluethroat. It contrasts strongly with the black border below.
White supercilium
The distinctive white stripe above the eye stands out on the otherwise brown head. It arches above the lores from the bill to the rear of the head.
Red/white tail spots
The vivid red or white rectangular spots on the outer tail feathers are another useful ID cue. They contrast strongly with the blackish tail.
Streaked underparts
On females and juveniles especially, the heavily streaked cream or buff underparts help distinguish Bluethroats from similar warbler species.
How do Bluethroats move and behave?
Bluethroats exhibit some characteristic behaviors:
Foraging movements
Bluethroats forage very actively, hopping rapidly between perches near the ground. They regularly flick and fan their tails. They make short sallies from perches to catch insects.
Posture
Bluethroats often adopt a horizontal posture, with the body parallel to the ground. At other times they perch upright. They occasionally cock their tails.
Song performance
Males sing their complex warbling songs from exposed song posts like small trees, shrubs, or reeds. They can sing for long periods while fanning and pumping their tails.
What habitats do Bluethroats occupy?
Bluethroats breed in a variety of open and wooded habitats:
Wetlands
Shallowly flooded grassy marshes and wet meadows are prime Bluethroat habitat. They thrive where sedges, reeds, and low shrubs meet open water.
Woodland edges
Brushy clearings and openings in boreal forests offer good nesting sites. They favor sites near water with dense low growth.
Alpine
Some populations breed in alpine scrub habitat above treeline, nesting low in rocky areas or dwarf willow.
Coastal
In winter, they occupy weedy coastal areas, estuaries, and wetlands along migratory routes and on wintering grounds.
Migration
During migration they occur in a broader range of open habitats with dense low vegetation like reedbeds and thickets.
Conclusion
In summary, the Bluethroat is a striking small songbird best identified by the sky blue bib and associated black and white face markings of breeding males. They also have red or white tail spots, frequent tail flicking behavior, and live in wetland and open scrub habitats across Eurasia. Females and juveniles are distinguished by their heavily streaked plumage. Their actively foraging behavior and colorful markings make Bluethroats a beautiful sight when stumbled upon during the breeding season.
