Status and distribution Patchily distributed in mountain and upland areas of Iberia and Mallorca, southern France and the Alps, Italy, Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily, Also found in Eastern Europe from south Poland to the Balkans and Greece, Crimea, Caucasus and Turkey. Isolated populations in the Atlas Mts of Morocco and Algeria and in north Israel. In decline in many parts of range.

Migratory, most birds winter south of the Sahara but some appear to stay north in southern parts of Algeria. Main passage periods late Aug-Sep and late Mar-early May.

Vagrants recorded in British Is, Belgium and Netherlands, Germany (formerly bred), Denmark, Finland and Norway, also Canary Is. British records (28) mainly Apr-Jun and widely scattered from Shetland to Scilly and also west to Ireland.

Habitat Dry open mountainsides with screes and boulder patches, scattered bushes and trees, mainly at 1500-3000m, sometimes lower. Most vagrants appear on islands and coasts