The illustration shows the adult male, and the female nearly concealed by the moss and herbage which she has thrown over her back. Gould stated that this was 'the artiface adopted by the female to prevent the discovery of her nest.'

DISTRIBUTION: Breeds in northwest and north central Eurasia, from Scandinavia and Poland eastwards to west Siberia. Winters in east and south Africa. Rare vagrant, mainly in Shetland and eastern England