Dartford Warbler

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Dartford Warbler in the UK

Dartford Warbler is a scarce resident at the northern edge of its range. It does not migrate, so cold winters can wipe out most of the population. After the winter of 1962 to 1963 only about ten pairs were left. It recovered to 3,214 pairs in the 2006 national survey and spread from the southern heaths into East Anglia, central England and Wales. Hard winters since then have cut numbers again, and more recent estimates are lower. It is absent from Scotland and Ireland. It is Amber-listed and protected under Schedule 1.

Where and when to see a Dartford Warbler

Lowland heath with dense gorse and deep heather, plus coastal gorse. RSPB Arne in Dorset, Aylesbeare Common in Devon, Farnham Heath in Surrey and Dunwich Heath in Suffolk all have birds near public paths. The New Forest heaths are another stronghold. Go on a calm, sunny morning between March and June, when males sing from the tops of gorse bushes. In wind they stay low. In winter, watch Stonechats: a Dartford Warbler often follows one about. Keep to the paths.

Habitat, diet and field notes

Habitat: Lowland heath (S. England).
Diet: Insects, spiders.
Field note: Skulks in gorse.

How to identify a Dartford Warbler

Tiny, with a body no bigger than a Blue Tit's and a long, thin tail that is often cocked. It looks dark at any distance. Males are slate-grey above and dull wine-red below, with a red eye-ring and fine white flecks on the throat. Females and young birds are browner above and paler, pinkish-buff below. The head looks peaked. Flight is weak and whirring, low over the gorse, with the tail bobbing behind. It usually dives straight back into cover.

Call and song

The call is a harsh, buzzing 'tchurr', often the first clue that one is close. The song is a short, fast, scratchy rattle, like a hurried Whitethroat, given from a gorse top or in a brief song flight. Heard something you cannot place? Bird Hear identifies UK birds from a 10 second recording, free in your browser.

Confusion species

• Common Whitethroat: Whitethroat is larger and paler with a clean white throat and rusty wing panels, and is here only in summer.
• European Stonechat: Stonechat shares the same gorse and has a rusty breast, but is plump and short-tailed and sits upright in the open.

Month by month

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.

Conservation status and Birdedex points

In the Birdedex the Dartford Warbler is a Rare tier bird, worth +8 points when you log one. It is Amber-listed in Birds of Conservation Concern 5, the middle level of concern in the UK. It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, so it is an offence to disturb it at or near the nest. We blur the location of every sighting of this species.

Where to see it

Reserves where the Dartford Warbler is on the list:

• RSPB Arne

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Marmora's WarblerLegendary · Heath
• Barred WarblerRare · Coastal scrub (scarce)
• Subalpine WarblerRare · Mediterranean scrub
• Asian Desert WarblerLegendary · Coastal scrub
• Common WhitethroatCommon · Hedges
• Eastern Orphean WarblerLegendary · Scrub (extreme vagrant)

Dartford Warbler: quick answers

Where can I see a Dartford Warbler in the UK?

On the heaths of Dorset, Hampshire, Surrey and Devon, and on the Suffolk coast. Pick a heathland reserve with waymarked trails, go early on a still day and listen for the buzzing call around the tallest gorse.

What habitat does a Dartford Warbler live in?

Mature gorse mixed with heather. The gorse matters most: it holds insects and spiders all year and gives shelter in snow. Heath fires and scrub clearance on the wrong scale can remove a local population as surely as a hard winter.

Is the Dartford Warbler rare in the UK?

It is scarce and local, with a few thousand pairs at best, confined to one habitat. Numbers rise through runs of mild winters and crash after severe ones, so the answer changes from decade to decade.

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