This species, according to Gould, although common in southern Europe and eastern countries had only once, in October 1841, been recorded in England, but he believed that 'when we remember the extent of our island, and how few are the real observers of our native birds, we may reasonably suppose that many other examples have ...visited us without the differences from other members of the family having been detected.'
DISTRIBUTION: Breeds in south Palaearctic from north Africa, north Mediterranean region east to southwest Siberia, Mongolia, and north China. Winters mostly Sahel zone of south Sahara, south Asia east to India. Rare but regular vagrant to Britain, mostly in Shetland and Scilly Isles