Scientific name:
Monticola saxatilis

Natural spread:
Southern Europe, west-Asia, North-Africa

the Steinrötel counts throttles to the subfamily. The type was earlier widespread in throughout Europe, however, the brood-areas restrict themselves to the South European Mediterranean-countries, the western and middle Asia as well as northwest-Africa today. The Steinrötel is regarded as extinct with us.

Shape Above all to the incubation, big male with its slate-blue, auburn and white colors is the 19 cm one of the showiest mountain-birds; in the silence-phase, the feather-edges color cream-yellow and award the bird a spotted look. The tail is relatively shortly and the whole year over bay. The female has only a similar tail-coloring and is otherwise brown-gray spotted. At least, the brood-areas with those of a second type, the Blaumerle (Monticola solitarius), overlap in the European countries. The Steinrötel shows severe similarity with some African types of its type, Z. B. with the Langzehenrötel (M). explorator, or the Lippenrötel (M). rupestris.

Way of life Warm and sunny mountain-landscapes, from gravel and dry levels pushes through, the suitable brood-biotopes of the Steinrötels form. Here it arrives from its hibernation-areas (savannas and steppes of the tropical Africa) in May and whistles its blackbird-similar chant. The Balzverhalten of the male is typical if up to 10 m rises highly into the air and one can down-glide almost vertically with extended wings and spread tail again.

The small nests are hidden in a small rock-cave or in wall-holes, only quite rarely in tree-caves, by the female built. The construction from grass, roots and moss is rather disorderly, however the nest-hollow is fed with finer material. The female has 4 -5 eggs to incubate alone 14 for -15 days before the boys slip and the male takes part again in the Aufzucht.

Nutrition From an elevated observation-station spotted the Steinrötel its loot, before it hunts it at the ground. To this, primarily big insects (locusts, bugs) belong, but also earthworms, snails and even lizards.