General

Bluethroat: Small thrush with brown upperparts, striking blue bib with rust-brown central spot, black and brown-orange bands across breast, thick white eyebrow, and white underparts. Tail is dark with rust-brown base. Female and juvenile have white throat with dark border.

Range and Habitat

Bluethroat: Breeds in northwestern Alaska and Eurasia in marshy scrub around lakes and bogs. Spends winters mostly on salt mashes or around the edges of reed beds.

Breeding and Nesting

Bluethroat: Four to seven light blue or green eggs with brown specks are laid in a nest made of grass, inner bark, roots, and moss, lined with finer materials, and built atop a grassy tussock or in a shallow hole. Female incubates eggs for about 14 days.

Foraging and Feeding

Bluethroat: Eats mostly insects, small snails, earthworms, seeds, and some berries; forages on the ground or in low bushes.

Readily Eats

Raisins, Currants, Nut Meal

Vocalization

Bluethroat: Call is "buyt-tock." Has clear bell-like "ting-ting-ting" at the beginning of its varied, melodious song, which often includes imitations of other birds.

Similar Species

Bluethroat: Siberian Rubythroat has white to buff throat, brown tail, and lacks black moustache stripe and streaky necklace.