The Whitethroat is one of my most eagerly awaited for migrants in spring. My earliest returning bird was some years ago at Houghton on 12th April, however, most of birds occur on my patch around about the 17th of April.
Whitethroats are conspicuous birds as they sing from an elevated perch within a Briar patch, they also perform a highly visible song-flight where they fly up and perform a 'dance', appearing to fan their tails to show off the white outer feathers.
Hedgerows with wide weedy verges with nettles, commons, scrub, and Briar patches are chosen by Whitethroats for breeding habitat. My notes here are from a pair of Whitethroats seen in Briar habitat at Little Cressingham in Norfolk.
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| Whitethroat territory at Little Cressingham April 2017 |
Although a conspicuous songster, the Whitethroat is also a skulker, often creeping about the inner dark areas of the Briar patch, similar behaviour is seen in weedy verges also, this is where their local colloquial name in Norfolk is 'Nettlecreeper', a very apt name.
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| Whitethroat on territory in Little Cressingham April 2017 |
The song of the Whitethroat is a hurried scratchy warble, however, the species has a variety of other calls which are used in particular situations. An approaching threat produces a "
ved-ved-ved", also, when agitated it gives a "
churrrr", this I also believe is given once young have left the nest and serves as a warning to them. I was recently watching one of the Whitethroat pair in Little Cressingham when a pair of Goldfinches approached as if to alight on the Briar patch, a Whitethroat gave a harsh, strident "
chit-chit", at which the Goldfinches veered off. This call appears to serve as a warning to other birds that the patch has been claimed.
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