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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Keith Dickinson" data-source="post: 728379" data-attributes="member: 10828">Took this from BWPi Field characters (1) North and central continental European race, nominate modularis. Head, hind-neck, throat, and breast basically smoky-grey, with brown-black streaks over top of head and neck, brown suffusion and indistinct grey-white streaks on lores and cheeks (most obvious behind eye), and hoary chin. Mantle, scapulars, and smaller wing-coverts warm brown, profusely streaked brown-black; rump and upper tail-coverts dull brown, unstreaked and contrasting slightly with black-brown tail. Greater coverts and secondaries black-brown, with warm brown fringes and small buff tips forming dull bar across coverts and spots on tertials; primaries black-brown. Underwing grey. Sides of breast and flanks buff-brown, streaked black- and rufous-brown; below this area and on upper breast, smoky-grey of foreparts fades into grey-white and then almost pure white on centre of belly, which looks strikingly pale when exposed. Under tail-coverts buff, strongly dappled brown. From about September to January, upperpart feathers have wider fringes and tips, making plumage less obviously streaked; grey of face and foreparts more washed brown. (2) Irish and Hebridean race, hebridium. Upperparts much darker than nominate modularis, with rich rufous tone to brown plumage and streaks blacker; head and underparts darker grey, with almost purple tone on head; belly less white. (3) British race, occidentalis. Intermediate in appearance between hebridium and nominate modularis but variable with (e.g.) ground-colours of isolated Scilly population much less grey, buffier brown. Upperparts lack rich brown of hebridium and underparts lack white belly of nominate modularis, but old ♂♂ can have dark purple-grey on head of hebridium. (4) Caucasus, eastern Turkey, and Iran race, obscura. Noticeably paler and duller brown above, less smoky and duller grey below, with greater invasion of hoary feather-tips on chin, throat, and below breast. (NB Important to recognize that plumage variable within races and susceptible to changes in tone according to light; racial identification of migrants thus hazardous—clarity of white on belly the only useful distinction between nominate modularis and western extreme of hebridium/occidentalis cline, and dull buff ground-colour of upperparts and flanks the best indication of obscura.) Adult FemaleAll races. Particularly in spring, less richly coloured than ♂: head and foreparts paler grey (and much suffused brown when fresh); upperparts less darkly streaked, with wider brown feather-fringes. JuvenileAll races. Somewhat resembles browner ♀ but whole plumage more ochre or buff in ground-colour, lacking any clear grey tone except on throat and having much more prominent striations over almost all underparts (with only narrow belly-centre showing dull white). Pale buff tips to greater coverts form quite striking wing-bar. At all ages, bill short and fine; black-horn with pink-brown base to lower mandible; legs warm pink to red-brown; iris noticeably red-brown. Though without striking markings, has distinctive character (and voice). Little risk of confusion with congeners: Alpine Accentor P. collaris much larger and more boldly patterned, and Asian species all heavily marked on head, with paler underparts. In brief view can also be mistaken for other small ground-hugging passerines (e.g. juvenile Robin Erithacus rubecula, small bunting Emberiza, dark warbler Sylviidae). Flight normally low, quite fast and whirring, with rather round wings and quite long, full tail obvious as bird ducks into cover; in autumn, migrants may make fluttering ascent, partially circling attempt at departure, and then high departure flight, with less whirring action and more sustained, slightly undulating progress. Gait includes characteristic mouse-like shuffle or creep with small hops and mincing walk (legs almost hidden), as well as more active hopping with simultaneous flicking of wings and occasional jerking of tail. Carriage usually rather horizontal when creeping, with head and tail often above level of body, but more upright when hopping and particularly so when resting or when singing from perch. General behaviour restless, busy yet unobtrusive; keeps close to cover but not really shy. Seeks food at close range, like Wren Troglodytes troglodytes; unlike small chats (Turdidae), does not regularly pounce out of and back into cover.</blockquote>

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