The Fuerteventura Chat is an endemic species to the Canaries' archipelago, where the species' distribution range is restricted to Fuerteventura Island. It also have occurred on Alegranza and Montaña Clara until the beginning of the 20th Century and there are have been recent records from the neighbouring island of Lanzarote

This species is highly faithful to good habitat. Its main occurrence and only breeding habitat is in barrancos, ravines and rocky slopes with fairly sparse (30-50% open ground), shrubby vegetation.Although they sometimes also venture into more open and arid areas such as malpaís (old lava flows with resurgent vegetation), the species prefers copses of palm trees and shrubs.ompletely open habitat appears only to be utilised when gathering food for their young.

Breeding is mainly from January to April, although there are records of nests with eggs and chicks in the middle of December. Average clutch size is 3-4 eggs, with the possibility of two clutches. Nests are often located under rocks and bushes, or also inside holes or fissures in walls.

The Fuerteventura Chat is a largely insectivorous bird that hunts from a post site (bushes or stones) catching the prey both on flight and on the soil. It also takes vegetal matter such as fruits. Nevertheless, data describing the diet of this species are scarce and imprecise. There is a lack of basic information on the type and size of preys that it feeds on regularly, as well as preferred taxons, annual variation in prey consumed (if any), etc.

This species qualifies as Endangered because it has a very small population, which is probably declining as a consequence of habitat degradation and destruction resulting from development for tourism.
Recent rapid increases in infrastructural development, such as tourist and residential centres, road building, industrial plants, mineral operations and golf courses, are destroying the habitat of this species (particularly on the Jandía peninsula in the south of Fuerteventura)

There are few records of any movements. Despite the presence of the species in the non-breeding season in gardens of tourist areas in Fuerteventura, it seems to be a quite sedentary bird. However, inter-insular movements have been recorded recently as the species has been observed on the nearby island of Lanzarote.

article number 1 Title
Divorce in the Canary Islands Stonechat (Saxicola dacotiae)
Author(s): Juan Carlos Illera
Abstract: I report the first case of divorce for the Canary Islands Stonechat (Saxicola dacotiae), an endemic bird species of the semiarid island of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain). I studied 72 pairs du..[more]..
Source: Wilson Bulletin 117(3):317-319, 2005
download full text (pdf)

article number 2 Title
Site fidelity in the Canary Islands stonechat Saxicola dacotiae in relation to spatial and temporal patterns of habitat suitability
Author(s): Juan Carlos Illera and Mario D?az
Abstract: We investigate the degree of territory faithfulness of the Canary Islands stonechat Saxicola dacotiae, an endemic bird species of the semi-arid island of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain), and the..[more]..
Source: Acta oecologIca 34 (2008), 1-8
download full text (pdf)

article number 3 Title
DETERMINACIÓN DEL SEXO Y EDAD EN LA TARABILLA CANARIA SAXICOLA DACOTIAE MEDIANTE EL ESTUDIO DE LA MUDA
Author(s): Juan Carlos ILLERA
Abstract: Sexing and ageing of the Canary Islands Stonechat Saxicola dacotiae by moult. The aim of this study is to offer data for sexing juveniles and ageing Canary Islands Stonechats Saxicola dacotiae, an en..[more]..
Source: Ardeola 49(2), 2002, 273-281
download full text (pdf)

article number 4 Title
Ecological traits influence the current distribution and range of an island endemic bird
Author(s): Juan Carlos Illera et al
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to investigate the causes of the current restricted distribution of a narrow-range endemic bird species, the Canary Islands stonechat, Saxicola dacotiae...[more]..
Source: Journal of Biogeography (J. Biogeogr.) (2006) 33, 1192-1201
download full text (pdf)