Wheatear, Montenegro 05/2022 (1 Viewer)

[Lanugoh]

Hello,

in Montenegro close to Virpazar I saw this wheatear. I am still not completely sure wether to identify it as oenanthe oenanthe or as oenanthe hispanica.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
its one of the Black-eared Wheatears (Western on range?), but I struggle to find reasons to support this:

• should the peachy-cream hue be centered to the breast in a Norther Wheatear?
• the black of the tail seems to reach the base at the outer-tail feathers?
• should there be some grey visible on the crown?
• Is the mask too extensive for a Northern Wheatear, which has some kind of bandid mask?

Are these trustable features?

 

[KenM]

Black-Eared Wheatear for me.

Cheers

 

[Gladiator96]

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe melanoleuca (split by some authorities)

 

[Lanugoh]

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe melanoleuca (split by some authorities)

Is there any posibilit to distinguish it from Western by the photos?

 

[Butty]

No need to. It's breeding season, and it's the eastern form that breeds in the Balkans. Sorted.

 

[KenM]

No need to. It's breeding season, and it's the eastern form that breeds in the Balkans. Sorted.

O.melanoleuca.👍

 

[KC Foggin]

Looks good for Black-eared Wheatear

 

[Lanugoh]

Thanks a lot!