- Lifespan
- 3–5 years in the wild, occasionally longer
- Size & Weight
- 16–17 cm, wingspan 23–29 cm; 16–22 g
- Habitat
- Dense scrub, coppice, and woodland edges with thick undergrowth, particularly in southern England near suitable breeding grounds.
- UK Distribution
- Summer breeding visitor to south-east England, primarily Kent, Sussex, and East Anglia; arrives April–May and departs August–September. Absent from most of the UK.
- Diet
- Insectivorous, feeding mainly on invertebrates including beetles, flies, spiders, and small caterpillars, particularly in leaf litter and low vegetation.
- Prey
- Beetles, dipterans, spiders, small caterpillars, woodlice, and earthworms
- Predators
- Sparrowhawks, jays, crows, weasels, and domestic cats; eggs and young taken by magpies and crows
- Mating Season
- April to July
- Breeding
- Clutch size 4–5 eggs; incubation period 13–14 days; fledging period 11–13 days; typically single-brooded but may attempt second brood if first fails.
- Behaviour
- Males are highly territorial and renowned for their loud, complex song delivered both day and night, particularly at dusk. Skulking and secretive, spending much time on or near the ground in dense cover. Solitary and aggressive towards other males during breeding season.