Northern Wheatear
Oenanthe oenanthe
The Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) is a common chats, old world flycatchers, and alli found in 127 countries, weighing about 25 g. The northern wheatear or wheatear is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family.
About the Northern Wheatear
The northern wheatear or wheatear is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. It is the most widespread member of the wheatear genus Oenanthe in Europe and North and Central Asia. The northern wheatear is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in open stony country in Europe and east across the Palearctic with footholds in northeastern Canada and Greenland as well as in northwestern Canada and Alaska. It nests in rock crevices and rabbit burrows. All birds spend most of their winter in Africa.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The northern wheatear is larger than the European robin at 14.5–16 cm (5.7–6.3 in) in length. The northern wheatear also has a wingspan of 26–32 cm and weighs 17–30 g. Both sexes have a white rump and tail, with a black inverted T-pattern at the end of the tail. The plumage of 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.
What the Northern Wheatear sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Taiwan, South Africa, South Korea, Mexico, Mayotte.
When to see it
Best months: April, May, June, July, August, September, October, with peak activity in May. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Northern Wheatear?
- The northern wheatear is larger than the European robin at 14.5–16 cm (5.7–6.3 in) in length. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Northern Wheatear?
- The Northern Wheatear is a small sized bird weighing about 25 g.
- Where can you see a Northern Wheatear?
- The Northern Wheatear occurs in 127 countries, including Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, France and Spain.
- What does a Northern Wheatear sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Northern Wheatear on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Northern Wheatear?
- The Northern Wheatear is most easily confused with the Familiar Chat, the Isabelline Wheatear and the Western Black-eared Wheatear.
- Is the Northern Wheatear endangered?
- The Northern Wheatear is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Northern Wheatear for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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