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Isabelline Wheatear - BirdForum Opus

Photo © by Emil Enchev
Bulgaria, 18 May 2005
Oenanthe isabellina

Identification

Juvenile
Photo © by Cristian Mihai
Palazu Mic (CT), Romania, 24 June 2018

15-16.5 cm (6-6½ in)

  • Pale dull brown overall
  • White rump, basal tail patches with black centre and terminal band
  • Pale Axillaries and underwing coverts
  • Dark alula
  • supercilium is whiter in front of the eye, more buff behind

Sexes are similar

Confusion Species

Larger than an autumn-plumaged Northern Wheatear

Distribution

South-Eastern Romania, Southern Ukraine, Southern Russia and central Asia to Northern Pakistan, wintering in north-eastern Africa Arabia and India.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species[1].

Displaying
Photo © by Cristian Mihai
Gura Dobrogei (CT), Romania, 24 June 2018

Habitat

Breeds in areas or short grass or semi-desert, dry plains.

Behaviour

Diet

Their diet consists of invertebrates (small insects), beetles and ants; in addition to some vegetable matter.

Breeding

They nest in a rodent burrows.

References

Bird in winter area
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Sultanpur Flats, Gurugram, Haryana, India, 5 December 2019
  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved June 2018)
  3. Birdwatchers Pocket Guide ISBN 1-85732-804-3
  4. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
  5. Wikipedia

Recommended Citation

External Links


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