THE WHINCHAT. 

 Pratincola rubetra (Linnaeus). 

 Plate 4. 



The Whinchat, sometimes called " Utick " from its call-note, is one of our 

 summer visitors, arriving in April and leaving us in October. 



Although fairly common in many parts of the kingdom, and widely distributed, 

 it is absent or local in others. The nest, placed on the ground and concealed among 

 rough grass and herbage, is composed of dry grasses and moss, and lined with finer 

 fibres and hair. The four to six eggs are greenish-blue, spotted with rusty-red dots. 



It feeds on various insects, grubs, and wireworms. The Whinchat has a low 

 sweet song, sometimes heard when the bird is fluttering in the air. 



Macgillivray says : " When one approaches their nest, they evince great anxiety ; 

 but at first keep at some distance, perch on the top twigs of the bushes, and at short 

 intervals emit a mellow plaintive note followed by several short notes resembling 

 the ticking of a clock, or that produced by striking two pebbles together, and at the 

 same time jerk out their tail and flap their wings." 



In the female the colours are duller, the eye-stripe being yellowish, the upper 

 breast having some small spots, and the primary coverts less white than in the male. 



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