- Lifespan
- 5–8 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 14 cm, wingspan 20–24 cm; 12–20 g
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, heathland, parks and gardens with scattered trees, typically favouring areas with dead wood and suitable nest cavities.
- UK Distribution
- Summer breeding visitor to England, Wales and southern Scotland, arriving April–May and departing August–September; rare in winter.
- Diet
- Primarily insects and invertebrates, including flies, beetles, spiders and caterpillars; occasionally takes berries and soft fruits in autumn.
- Prey
- Insects and spiders (Diptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera larvae, Araneae)
- Predators
- Sparrowhawks, Eurasian Jays, domestic cats, and corvids; eggs and chicks vulnerable to weasels and woodpeckers
- Mating Season
- April to July
- Breeding
- Clutch of 4–6 eggs, incubation period 12–13 days, fledging 12–13 days; typically one brood per year, occasionally two.
- Behaviour
- Males are highly territorial and vocal, singing from prominent perches with a characteristic warbling song. They perform a distinctive tail-flicking display, fanning their rust-red tail feathers. Females are duller and more secretive, often foraging in dense vegetation.