Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia Scientific name definitions

16–17 cm; 14–37 g. Very like L. megarhynchos, but less bright or less contrastingly reddish on tail  and rump , greyer on back, and generally has breast diffusely mottled grey-brown; often more strongly developed malar stripe  ; outer primary greatly reduced in length (sometimes visible in field). Sexes similar. Juvenile  as juvenile L. mega­rhynchos.

• Thrush x Common Nightingale (hybrid) Luscinia luscinia x megarhynchos

N, C & E Europe E to N Kazakhstan and upper R Yenisey, also S Caucasus; winters in SE Africa.

Migratory ; winters in Africa, mainly S Tanzania S to E South Africa. Very common along Red Sea coast of Sudan in autumn, but very rare in spring; common to abundant E of Rift Valley on S migration, when more than 31,000 ringed Nov–Dec in Tsavo West National Park (Kenya) 1969–1995, but less numerous from late Mar to mid-Apr. Populations from Baltic and C Europe move SE from early Aug, peak passage in Hungary mid-Aug, in Slovenia second half Aug or early Sept, skirting W shore of Black Sea and crossing E Mediterranean, passing through Israel mainly Sept, and into Egypt, rapidly through NE Sudan (where second most abundant migrant on coast Aug–Sept) to reach W & C Ethiopia, where apparently stop over for several weeks, as onward S movement through C & SE Kenya and NE & C Tanzania occurs early Nov to mid-Dec. C breeding populations presumably move S between Black and Caspian Seas (first passage in Crimea late Jul) and merge with W breeders in E Mediterranean, while at least some E breeders move down E and then S sides of Caspian from end Aug to mid-Sept, passing through Middle East and Gulf (Bahrain Sept–Oct), but main flyway into Africa unclear, perhaps involving W movement to N Red Sea area or broad-front crossing of Arabian Peninsula; considerable numbers pass along Turkish Black Sea coast mid-Aug to late Sept. Majority of autumn population assembled in Kenya moves E of Mt Kilimanjaro on a front c. 250 km wide and shifting direction from S to SSW, wintering in area from SW Tanzania S to N Botswana and N South Africa during late Nov to late Mar. Spring passage in Kenya from late Mar to mid-Apr, in Ethiopia early Apr to mid-Apr, last birds in Egypt in early May; main passage Israel mid-Apr to end May, Bahrain Apr to early May, later birds in Middle East presumed en route to E parts of breeding range (first arrivals in SC Siberia not until second half May), whereas earlier migrants probably move to W parts of breeding range, where arrival typically in first 10 days May. Vagrants regularly recorded in W Europe.

Invertebrates  , some fruit. Summer diet includes adult and larval beetles of many families, adult and larval moths, ants, sawflies, flies, bugs, caddis flies, grasshoppers, damselflies, spiders, woodlice, millipedes and snails, with fruits of elder (Sambucus), currants (Ribes), bramble (Rubus), mulberry (Morus), vine (Vitis) and service (Amelanchier). In Armenia mainly leaf-litter insects, with small amounts of plant matter; seen to feed on mulberries in Jul. In E Germany, invertebrate content of stomachs was 53% hymenopterans (largely ants), 24% beetles (largely adults), 9% bugs, 4% earwigs and 10% others; 53% involved terrestrial species, 34% leaf-dwellers and 13% undetermined. Diet of young at same site consisted of 38% beetles (mostly larvae), 20% lepidopterans (mostly larvae), 13% flies (mostly adults), 11% woodlice, 9% spiders, 3% hymenopterans, 3% bugs and 3% others; 54% involved subsoil species, 43% were herb-layer or shrub-layer species, rest undetermined; items smaller than those taken by adults. Young in Russia fed with 29% lepidopterans (mostly larvae), 20% larval snake-flies (Rhaphidiidae), 18% spiders, 16% beetles (mostly adults), 8% bugs, 4% snails, 3% adult flies and 2% grasshoppers. In Africa mainly invertebrates, especially insects such as ants, beetles, small grasshoppers, and flies and lepidopterans at all stages, also millipedes and small molluscs; sometimes fruit and seeds. Forages mainly on ground, hopping about in leaf litter; also gleans insects from herb and shrub layers, and occasionally sallies after flying insects. Territorial in winter quarters, spacing out at c. 100-m intervals.

Song, regularly at night but also by day, very similar to that of L. mega­rhynchos but delivery slower, phrases longer (c. 5 seconds) and separated by longer pauses (3–5 seconds), commonly lacking protracted crescendo whistle phrase; phrases typically in three sections, starting with whistling “wiiit-wiiit-wiiit…” followed by deep fluty “chuuk-u-chuuk-u…” or “chiddy-ock-chiddy-ock-chiddy-ock” and ending with deep rattle; rarely gives (perhaps only as mimicry) slow crescendoing and accelerating one-pitch whistling phrase (“wuuuuuu-”) common in L. megarhynchos; reportedly uses mimicry, at least locally (e.g. Armenia); in confrontations song assumes strangled quality, and in courtship (also towards incubating mate, which may then sing back) becomes softer with more high-pitched units. In non-breeding quarters sings throughout period present, but on S passage song more guttural and disorganized than in spring; full song often heard Feb–Mar. Calls include guttural “tuc” or “tuc-tuc” in territorial alarm, low croaking “krrrk” in mild agitation, and whistled “wiiit”, sharper and higher than that of L. megarhynchos; first two calls sometimes combined as “tuk tuk tuk krrrrrr” in greater alarm.

Not globally threatened. Total European population in mid-1990s estimated at 832,226–1,041,309 pairs, with additional 100,000–1,000,000 pairs in Russia W of Urals. By 2000 European population (including European Russia) revised to 3,700,000–6,900,000 pairs, and considered generally stable. Marked increase in numbers in N & W of European range in 1960s and 1980s, e.g. population in Finland rose from 200 pairs in 1950s to 20,000–50,000 pairs in 1990s; reasons presumed to include cessation of grazing and lowering of lake levels, both allowing succession involving young deciduous woodland. Uncommon in Armenia. In winter quarters locally common to abundant; uncommon to abundant on passage through E half of Africa, depending on area.