- Lifespan
- 3–5 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 12–13 cm, wingspan 21–24 cm; 14–18 g
- Habitat
- Open grassland, heathland, and rough scrubland with scattered bushes and low vegetation for perching and nesting.
- UK Distribution
- Summer breeding visitor to the UK, arriving April–May and departing August–September. Found across England, Wales, and southern Scotland, with strongholds in upland areas and the Midlands. Rare in winter.
- Diet
- Primarily insects and invertebrates including beetles, flies, grasshoppers, spiders, and small caterpillars, caught both on the ground and in flight.
- Prey
- Beetles, flies, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera larvae, grasshoppers, spiders
- Predators
- Sparrowhawks, hobbies, jackdaws, magpies, and foxes; corvids may predate eggs and chicks
- Mating Season
- April to August
- Breeding
- Clutch of 4–6 eggs; incubation period 12–13 days; fledging at 12–13 days. Typically single-brooded but may raise a second brood if first is lost.
- Behaviour
- Highly territorial males sing from prominent perches and display with characteristic wing-and-tail flicking. Often hovers briefly before dropping to catch ground prey. Solitary and bold in defending breeding territories.