Siberian songbird known for being vanishingly rare in the UK has died at the paws of a pet cat.

The owner, from Brampton, Cumbria, reported the kill to her local RSPB after her cat brought home what she realised was a rare species.

The tiny creature with orange-red feathers was identified as a Siberian rubythroat by Chris Hind, Cumbria’s county recorder for birds.

Hind said there had only been 17 accepted records of the bird in the UK from 1975 to 2022.

Jones urged cat owners to fit their pets with bells in order to warn birds, adding: ‘Such deaths are perfectly avoidable by taking the right steps.’

He told BBC the bird was underweight and appeared to have flown ‘off course’ while migrating south.

He said: ‘At this time of year, Siberian rubythroats should be heading south from their Siberian breeding grounds to spend the winter in South-East Asia, highlighting just how far off course this bird in Cumbria was.’

The bird is set to be displayed in Tullie museum in Carlisle.

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