Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Photo by Paul Hackett

Identification

The Northern Wheatear or Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe), is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the Thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae. It is the most widespread member of the wheatear genus Oenanthe in Europe and Asia.

The Northern Wheatear is larger than the European Robin at 14½–16 cm length. Both sexes have a white rump and tail, with a black inverted T-pattern at the end of the tail.

The summer male has grey upperparts, buff throat and black wings and face mask. In autumn it resembles the female apart from the black wings. The female is pale brown above and buff below with darker brown wings. The male has a whistling, crackly song. Its call is a typical chat chack noise.

Its English name has nothing to do with wheat or ears, but is a bowdlerised form of white-arse, which refers to its prominent white rump.

Length: 5.5 inches Thin bill White supercilium Dark legs White rump and base of tail Tip of tail black Wings black

Distribution

The Northern Wheatear is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in open stony country in Europe and Asia with a foothold in eastern Canada and Greenland. It nests in rock crevices and rabbit burrows. All birds winter in Africa, which makes the large, bright Greenland race leucorhea one of the most impressive long-distance migrants.

Habitat

In summer, rocky tundra, barren slopes. Breeds on dry northern tundra with many exposed rocks and boulders, especially where these are near mats of dwarf shrubs a few inches high. Migrants may be seen on any kind of open ground, including vacant lots, barren fields, coastal meadows. In Eurasia, very widespread in open country.

Behaviour

It feeds mostly on insects, some berries. Diet in North America not well known. In Eurasia feeds mostly on insects, especially beetles, also ants, caterpillars, grasshoppers, flies, and many others. Also eats spiders, centipedes, snails. Often feeds on berries in summer and fall.

Forages mostly on the ground, running short distances and then stopping to pick up items. May run and flutter in pursuit of active insects. Also often watches from a low perch, then flies down to take item on ground. Sometimes flies out to catch insects in midair.

Nesting: Male defends territory by singing, often in flight. Song often includes imitations of other birds. In one courtship display, female crouches on ground while male leaps back and forth over her, very rapidly, with wings and tail spread. Also other postures and displays, many showing off tail pattern.

Nest: Site is on ground on dry tundra, usually in hole under rock, in crevice among stones, or in old rodent burrow. Nest, probably built by female, placed within this shelter; variable cup of grass, twigs, weeds, lined with finer material such as moss, lichens, rootlets.

Eggs: 5-6, sometimes 3-8. Pale blue, unmarked or with fine reddish brown dots. Incubation is mostly or entirely by female, about 13-14 days.

Young: Both parents bring food for nestlings, but female may do more. Young leave nest about 15 days after hatching. Probably 1 brood per year.

Bird Song

<flashmp3>Oenanthe oenanthe (song).mp3</flashmp3>
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External Links

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