- Lifespan
- 3–5 years in the wild
- Size & Weight
- 12–13 cm, wingspan 17–21 cm; 14–19 g
- Habitat
- Open scrubby areas, hedgerows, bramble patches, and rough ground with low dense vegetation, particularly in southern and central Britain.
- UK Distribution
- Summer breeding visitor found throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland from April to September; absent in winter as it migrates to West Africa.
- Diet
- Primarily small insects and spiders during breeding season; switches to berries and small fruits in late summer and autumn before migration.
- Prey
- Insects including flies, aphids, caterpillars, and small spiders; not a predator of vertebrates
- Predators
- Sparrowhawks, hobbies, and other raptors; corvids and foxes may take eggs and chicks from nests.
- Mating Season
- April to July
- Breeding
- Clutch size of 4–5 eggs; incubation period of 10–12 days; typically single-brooded, occasionally double-brooded; fledging at 10–12 days.
- Behaviour
- Males are highly vocal and territorial, singing from prominent perches with a characteristic scratchy, rattling song. Birds are restless and active foragers, often skulking in dense vegetation but also performing distinctive rising display flights. Strongly migratory, with rapid spring arrival and autumn departure.