At long intervals stragglers belonging to this species have been taken in these islands, all of them during the last three months of the year.

This species is a summer migrant to Central and Southern Europe, from whence it migrates on the approach of winter to Africa, large numbers passing down the Nile Valley.

The adult is of a warm brown all over, but the young bird has the feathers of the upper parts tipped with buff, and the lower parts striped with ochreous. Length of male 19 in.; the female is slightly larger.