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Siberian stonechat 17.05.2010 in Vaisi, Läänemaa (photo by Margus Ots).

 

In early February I wrote that the subspecies of the European stonechat (Saxicola torquatus) were split into separate species and that the Bird Rarities Commission (RC) intended to review all Estonian stonechat observations once more in the near future and if possible validate exact species identifications. Now the work is done and it must be admitted that the RC has done a good job earlier and all former decisions were confirmed.

 

The Siberian stonechat (Saxicola maurus) with an easterly and south-easterly distribution has been observed in Estonia 9 times according to information at the RC. The first three findings are as follows:

21.05.1990 Kääriku – Pülme, Valga county, male, subspecies variegatus (Tarmo Evestus).
21.05.1993 Riguldi, Läänemaa, male (Mauri Leivo, Harri Kontkanen, Lasse J. Laine, Olli-Pekka Pietiläinen).
28.10.1995 Sõrve säär, Saaremaa (Lauri Mäenpää, Jan Nordblad, Mika Bruun, Jyrki Lausamo).

 

The European stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) with a southerly distribution has likewise been observed 9 times in Estonia and the first three sightings are as follows:
14.04.2001 Undva, Saaremaa, female, ad. (Pekka Fagel, Matti Rekilä, Ira Teräspuro, Pekka Hänninen, Birgit Petrow) (Photo).
23.04.2003 Sõrve säär, Saaremaa, female, ad. (Matti Rekilä, Ira Teräspuro, Mika Bruun, Jukka Hatva, Jukka Riihelä) (Photo).
15.04.2006 Undva, Saaremaa, female, ad. (Sampo Kunttu) (Photo).

 

Moreover according to information at the RC, unspecified stonechats have been observed in Estonia four times. You can see all the observations validated by the RC on the RC web page.

 

Identifying a stonechat is not the easiest of tasks. In order to identify the species accurately the pattern of the rump area has to be described in detail (the Siberian stonechat has an unpatterned rump area, that of the European stonechat is speckled) and for this the bird has to be really close. Even from photos identification may not always be possible. The rump of a perching bird is not easy to see between the wings.