About the Variable Wheatear
The variable wheatear is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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The variable wheatear is a bird of arid and semi-arid region, and is locally abundant in barren rocky areas, sand dunes with scrub vegetation, cultivation, ravines, outside villages and nomadic encampments. It is polymorphic and has three distinct morphs. Black-bellied phase (opistholeuca). Male (adult). Entirely jet black except rump, under tail-coverts, base and sides of tail which are white; central rectrices and terminal band of tail black. Female has black parts replaced by sooty black. White-bellied phase (picata) Male (adult). Like the preceding but belly white.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Kuwait.
When to see it
Peak activity in December · a winter visitor species across most of its range
Easily confused with
White-crowned WheatearOenanthe leucopygaThis large 17–18 cm long wheatear breeds in stony deserts from the Sahara and Arabia across to Iraq.
Mourning WheatearOenanthe lugensThe mourning wheatear measures 14–16 cm (5.5–6.3 in) in length and weighs between 19–25 g (0.67–0.88 oz).
Finsch's WheatearOenanthe finschiiA medium-sized elegant wheatear with long wings and long legs.
Learn the Variable Wheatear for real
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