Cat kills rare Siberian rubythroat in Cumbria, first mainland UK sighting in decades
A domestic cat in Brampton, Cumbria, killed a Siberian rubythroat, a bird classified as a national rarity in the UK. The bird, weighing only 28g compared to the healthy average of 75g, was brought into a home by the cat on Sunday. The owner, who remains anonymous, recognized the bird's distinctive red throat but could not identify the species, placing it in a freezer before contacting the RSPB. Chris Hind, Cumbria's county bird recorder, confirmed the species, noting only 17 accepted records in Britain between 1975 and 2022, with just two on mainland Britain. The bird likely migrated from Siberia but was far off course, as it should have been heading to Southeast Asia. The carcass will be sent for scientific research and potentially displayed at Tullie House museum in Carlisle.