The Amur stonechat

A female Amur stonechat perches on a tree branch in Songgang, Bao'an District. Photos by Isaac Cohen

The Amur stonechat

Measuring only 12 centimeters in length, the Amur stonechat (Saxicola stejnegeri) is a beautiful bird that visits our city en route its migration path. Curiously, some small numbers can even be considered as residents, seen almost all year long in the northernmost parts of Shenzhen.

体长12厘米的东亚石䳭是深圳常见的过境迁徙鸟类之一，有一些据说还在深圳北部定居下来，成为这座城市的留鸟。

A female Amur stonechat perches on a tree branch in Songgang, Bao’an District.

The male stonechat has a striking black hood that extends to the back of the body and the wings, in contrast to a fascinating broad white patch on the sides of the neck. White patches are also present on the wings and the lower back; the tail is black. The bird’s chest is of a beautiful orange coloration that fades into a paler shade down the belly.

东亚石䳭的雄鸟头部、上体及翼背面覆羽全黑，与颈侧、翼内侧覆羽及下腹部的白色斑块形成鲜明对比，胸部呈锈棕色，至两胁及下腹逐渐变淡，尾黑色。

A male Amur stonechat perches a tree branch in Songgang, Bao’an District. 

Females are light brown with stripes on the head, with a softer white patch on the lateral parts and downside of the neck, and a paler brown to white coloration on the chest and down the belly.

雌鸟则通体浅棕，头顶具纵纹，体侧及喉部具白斑，但并不显眼，胸部及下腹部覆羽为近乎白色的浅棕。

A male Amur stonechat perches on a tree branch in Songgang, Bao’an District.

This fantastic bird enjoys tall grasses or open areas where they hunt primarily for small invertebrate animals like insects, snails, and worms. They also feed on seeds and fruit.

东亚石䳭常站立在草本植物梢端及开阔区域四处张望，寻找昆虫、蜗牛及蠕虫等小型无脊椎动物，有时也吃植物种子或果实。

Their breeding period runs from March to August, when they find their mates; females have often been observed to mate with several males. After building the nest, a female stonechat can lay up to six eggs per clutch, which she incubates for about two weeks. The hatchlings remain under the care of their parents for several more days.

东亚石䳭每年3至8月开始求偶，一只雌鸟可能会有多个雄性伴侣，每窝产卵可达6枚，孵化期两周。雏鸟晚成性，需要由亲鸟喂养一段时间后方可离巢。

A male Amur stonechat perches on a tree branch in Songgang, Bao’an District.

This bird is parasitized by the common cuckoo, so it is essential to think of this bird as a fundamental part of the healthy dynamics of our city’s ecosystem.

东亚石䳭的巢经常被大杜鹃寄生。成为杜鹃科鸟类的义亲，侧面也说明了它在维系城市生态平衡中扮演着重要的角色。