Whinchat Diet and Size: Feeding Habits, Predators, and Measurements
Whinchats are small energetic passerines that visit the UK during the spring and summer then migrate to warmer climes as the weather becomes colder. They overwinter in Sub-Saharan Africa in areas such as Nigeria, Uganda and Senegal.
Whinchats are easy to identify because of the bright white eye stripe (supercilium) and their dark mottled brown back, wings and crown interspersed with lighter brown patches. Males have an orange breast during the breeding season whilst females have a lighter brown almost honey coloured breast.
Keep reading to learn more about these interesting visitors to the UK.
Table of Contents
The Dietary Habits Of The Whinchat
The areas where whinchats can be seen are dictated by the abundance of food which means it’s important to understand the preferred diet of the whinchat so that more accurate identification can be made.
What Does A Whinchat Eat?
The whinchat eats a diet which consists primarily of insects including beetles, ants, flies, grasshoppers and bugs. They also eat spiders, worms, snails, slugs and insect larvae.
During winter time or periods when insect numbers are low, whinchats will eat seeds and berries to bolster their food intake and maintain their energy levels.
What To Feed A Baby Whinchat?
The chicks are brought insects, larvae and other invertebrates including grasshoppers and caterpillars by both parents. These sources high in protein are necessary for the development and growth of the chicks enabling them to become strong enough to leave the nest after around 14 days.
The chicks will stay with the parent for around 5 weeks in total learning how to find food and evade predators before joining with other young fledglings and leaving the nesting sites before flying to their African wintering grounds.
Breeding Habits Of Whinchats
In spring, male whinchats develop a bright orange breast which is used to attract a mate. The female has a similar breast colour change with light brown honey coloured feathers developing. These breast colours fade after the breeding season as both males and females moult and become far more drab in colouration.
Do Whinchats Mate For Life?
Whinchats tend to mate for a season which means they pair up at the beginning of the breeding season and stay together until the chicks are reared. Once they leave the breeding grounds the pair split up and they will typically mate with different partners the following breeding season.
This changing of partners is vital in keeping the species free from defects associated with inbreeding. This prevents abnormalities in the young from affecting the population numbers worldwide.
The Size & Weight Of Whinchats
To successfully identify whinchats from other bird species it is helpful to know their size and weight. In this section we’ll take a closer look at the body size, wingspan and weight of whinchats.
How Much Does A Whinchat Weigh?
The average weight of an adult whinchat is around 16 to 24 g. This is roughly the same weight as an AA alkaline battery.
It is also around the same weight as an adult robin as well as a bullfinch and a chaffinch.
How Big Is A Whinchat?
Whinchats are around 12.5 cm in length with a wingspan of around 21 to 24 cm. Which is also similar to the size and wingspan of the robin and the treecreeper.
It is quite amazing that the whinchat travels as far as sub-Saharan Africa to overwinter when you consider just how small this bird is and has such a short wingspan.
Are Whinchats Under Threat?
Worldwide, the whinchat is not under threat and is considered to be a bird of “least concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In Europe they are also classified as a bird of “least concern” by the Species of European Conservation Concern (SECC).
In the UK however, the breeding population of the whinchat fell by 57% between 1995 and 2020. This meant the species was put on the Red list by the UK Birds of Conservation Concern.
The main cause of the decline in numbers of whinchats in the UK is believed to be the disruption of habitat by human intervention. This is also true to some extent in mainland Europe as well.
What Eats A Whinchat?
Whinchats are prey to small mammals like rats, stoats and weasels due to their nests being made at ground level. They are also threatened by larger birds including;
- Magpies
- Jays
- Crows
- Merlins
Another problem faced by whinchats are cuckoos laying their eggs in a whinchat nest. The parents will feed the young cuckoo who will repay them by killing the whinchat chicks in order to get as much food as possible.
Where Can I See Whinchats In The UK?
Whinchats are quite a rare sight in the UK mainly due to farming methods that have caused their habitats to shrink. With many nests being destroyed by mowing which has caused a severe drop in their numbers.
Having said that, there are an estimated 49,000 breeding pairs in the UK. They are typically found in the north of England, mid Wales and the upland regions of Scotland.
These are the areas where you will have the best chance of spotting them although there have been reported sightings in Devon and Wiltshire.
SEE ALSO: Caspian Tern Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)
Frequently Asked Questions
Whinchats mate for one breeding season with both parents raising the chicks. However, in subsequent years, both partners will mate with different mates. This increases the gene pool and leads to less physical defects.
Whinchats are fairly peaceful birds but they can become aggressive when defending their nests, eggs and chicks.
Whinchats come to the UK in spring to breed. Once the breeding season is over and the chicks have fledged, whinchats leave the UK and head to their wintering grounds which are located in Sub-Saharan Africa.
