Status and distribution Breeds in the Cantabrians and Pyrenees, Alps and Apennines, Carpathians and mountains of the southern Balkans and northern Greece. Also breeds in the Taurus Mts of southern Turkey, the Pontine Mts of the north-east and the Caucasus.

Mainly an altitudinal migrant but some regularly make movements of some distance. In winter found more extensively in northern Spain, southern France, Italy and the Balkans.

Vagrants recorded in Britain and Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany and Malta, Morocco and Algeria. British records (10 to 1989) mainly in southern coastal counties in Apr-May and Sep-Nov.

Habitat Rocky gorges, cliff-faces and boulder-strewn slopes usually 1000-2000m but also as low as 300m and up to 3000m. In winter descends to lower levels and can be seen on earth banks, buildings and sometimes sea-cliffs.