- Lifespan
- 5–8 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 14–15 cm, wingspan 26–32 cm; 16–22 g
- Habitat
- Open, rocky moorland, heathland, and grassland with sparse vegetation and rocky outcrops or stone walls for nesting.
- UK Distribution
- Summer breeding visitor to upland areas of Scotland, northern England, Wales, and southwest England; arrives March–April and departs August–September. Rare or absent from lowland southern England.
- Diet
- Primarily insects and other invertebrates, including beetles, flies, grasshoppers, and spiders; also eats small berries in autumn.
- Prey
- Insects and invertebrates (beetles, flies, grasshoppers, spiders)
- Predators
- Merlin, kestrel, and other small raptors; corvids and foxes may take eggs and chicks
- Mating Season
- April to July
- Breeding
- Clutch of 5–6 pale blue-green eggs; incubation period 12–14 days; fledging at 14–15 days; typically one brood per season.
- Behaviour
- Males are highly territorial and perform distinctive bobbing displays with raised tails. They forage on the ground by running and pausing, often perching upright on rocks or posts. Males arrive at breeding grounds before females and establish territories vigorously.