[f. WHIN1 + CHAT sb.2] A small European bird, Pratincola rubetra, closely allied to the stonechat.

1

  Also called locally furze-chat, gorse-chat.

2

1678.  Ray, Willughby’s Ornith., 234. The Whin-chat,… In bigness it scarce exceeds a Wagtail…. The Anthus or Florus of Aristotle … differs from our Whin-chat in the colour of its Bill, and in the place where it lives; sith our Chat abides especially in heaths, and among Furze-bushes.

3

c. 1775.  G. White, Selborne, To Pennant, xli. (1789), 107. How the wheat-ear and whin-chat support themselves in winter cannot be so easily ascertained, since they spend their time on wild heaths and warrens.

4

1843.  Penny Cycl., XXVII. 324/1. The flight of the Whinchat is undulating.

5

1894.  R. B. Sharpe, Handbk. Birds Gt. Brit., I. 300. As in Great Britain, the Whinchat is a summer visitor to most parts of Europe.

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