Status and distribution Very common and widespread over much of the north of the Region. Breeds throughout the British Is, northern Iberia and France east across northern Europe including Scandinavia and northern Russia to the Urals. In the south found in the northern half of Italy but scarce and local in the Balkans and northern Greece, also parts of northern Turkey and throughout the Caucasus.

From the British Is to central Europe and from the Balkans to the Caucasus birds are mainly resident or undergo only short-distance dispersal. Further east and north populations are more strongly migratory and the winter range extends from southern Spain to Turkey and the Middle East and many Mediterranean islands.

Vagrants recorded in Iceland and Faroes, and vagrant or rare winter visitor to North Africa.

Subspecies About 8 races occur in the Region but differences are mainly clinal. British birds, occidentalis, are darker than birds from mainland Europe, especially on head and neck but also below, Irish and Hebridean birds hebridium, are darker still with rufous-brown plumage on wings. The north-west Turkish race euxina has paler streaking and paler grey crown than nominate and Caucasian race obscura is much paler and duller than other races with whitish mottling on breast.

Habitat Found in woodland and scrub, city parks and gardens, in hedgerows and copses on farmland. In mountains and the N occurs in pine, larch and spruce forests, and in willow, birch and alder scrub.