Chubby, small bird (approx 14 cm or 5.5 in), easier to hear than to see. Brown wings and upperparts, clear breast and belly. Greyish or brown head, with a thin lighter eyebrow. Blue throat and a bib with a thin black line and a red or orange wider one, lower. A clear white spot may appear on the throat. Bi-coloured tail, reddish and brown. Less showy females, less blue or white throat.
Wetlands
Species that uses forests of certain altitude during its breeding period. In the province it spends the winter in humid meadows with abundant thickets, tall grasses or willow groves, on the banks of rivers and lagoons.
Wintering species in the province. Present also in migratory passage. It breeds in central and northern Europe. Nest on the ground. One laying in May of 4 to 6 eggs. Insectivore that consumes berries and fleshy fruits in autumn and winter.
It is frequent in the mouth of the Guadalhorce and Vélez rivers and in the Fuente de Piedra and Campillos lagoons. It is also observed in the fringe of the mouths of the rivers Guadaiza to Guadalmina.
The Latin name of the Bluethroat refers to being a "good Swedish singer". In fact, bluethroats are great singers, they have in their repertoire more than 50 different singing tones. The majority of wintering specimens come from northern Europe, to a great extent from Sweden and Scandinavia.
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