Wildlifeof China
Common Nightingale
Thrushes, Chats & Flycatchers
Photo: Nachtigall_(Luscinia_megarhynchos).jpg: J. Dietrich derivative work: Bogbumper (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Luscinia megarhynchos
China Red List: Least Concern (LC)
Basic stats
Diet
Ground-dwelling insects, beetles, ants, larvae, worms, and spiders; berries and fruits in autumn
Habitat
Warm woodland and scrub with dense low thickets, young trees, and open ground beneath
Range
Breeds across central and southern Europe and central Asia; winters in northern and central Africa
Clutch size
4–5 eggs
Incubation period
13–14 days
Size
Not reported numerically by ADW
Wingspan
Not reported numerically by ADW
Weight
Not reported by ADW
The common nightingale breeds across central and southern Europe and central Asia, with local populations in the British Isles, and migrates to northern and central Africa for winter. It favors mild or warm woodland and scrub containing dense, low thickets, young trees, and patches of bare ground. Such structure offers concealment while allowing birds to forage below the vegetation. Its plumage is relatively plain brown with paler underparts, a broad chestnut tail, large dark eyes, and narrow pale eye rings. (Animal Diversity Web)
Nightingales forage mainly on the ground for beetles, ants, insect larvae, spiders, and worms. Berries and other fruits become more important during autumn. Males are renowned for elaborate nocturnal song repertoires, and older males often attract mates more successfully. Pairs are seasonally monogamous. The female builds a nest from dried grass and leaves among dense shrub twigs and lays four or five eggs. She performs the approximately 13–14-day incubation, while breeding generally extends from May into early June. (Animal Diversity Web)
Quick answers
- What does the Common Nightingale eat?
- Ground-dwelling insects, beetles, ants, larvae, worms, and spiders; berries and fruits in autumn
- What habitat does the Common Nightingale live in?
- Warm woodland and scrub with dense low thickets, young trees, and open ground beneath
- Where is the Common Nightingale found?
- Breeds across central and southern Europe and central Asia; winters in northern and central Africa
- How many eggs does the Common Nightingale lay?
- 4–5 eggs
- How long are the eggs of the Common Nightingale incubated?
- 13–14 days
- How big is the Common Nightingale?
- Not reported numerically by ADW
- What is the wingspan of the Common Nightingale?
- Not reported numerically by ADW
- How much does the Common Nightingale weigh?
- Not reported by ADW