Lesser Whitethroat

Seen one? Add it to your free UK BirdedexHear its song and see the mapFree, no app download. Uncommon bird: +3 points when you log it.

Habitat and behaviour

Habitat: Hedges, scrub (summer).
Diet: Insects.
Best time to spot: Rattling song; dark mask.

When to look

A summer visitor, typically in the UK from April to September. Numbers peak in May. See the May birding guide for what else is about. More on the season in Bird migration in Britain.

Taller bars mean more birds about. Grey means it is usually absent.

How rare is it?

The Lesser Whitethroat sits in our Uncommon tier for the UK: regular, but you usually need the right place or the right season. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5.

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Common WhitethroatCommon · Hedges
• Asian Desert WarblerLegendary · Coastal scrub
• Eastern Orphean WarblerLegendary · Scrub (extreme vagrant)
• Marmora's WarblerLegendary · Heath
• Moltoni's WarblerLegendary · Coastal scrub (extreme vagrant)
• Rüppell's WarblerLegendary · Scrub (extreme vagrant)

Kit that helps

Bird ID starter kit. Affiliate links, our own picks, no extra cost to you.