Northern Wheatear
Oenanthe oenanthe
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Oenanthe oenanthe
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Mass
~25 g
Habitat
Grasslands and meadows
Diet
Insects and invertebrates
How to recognize it
The Northern Wheatear is a small, lively companion of open stony ground. In flight, the black-and-white tail pattern is especially easy to remember, and breeding males also look sharper and more contrasted in spring and summer.
It is alert and quick, often making short hops and darting moves. Its call is a thin whistle, and it also gives chirping and scratchy sounds; during nesting, the male may sing from nearby and make brief song-flights.
It favours mountains and other open rocky places, where it nests in cracks among rocks or other sheltered cavities. It feeds mainly on insects, with berries added in autumn, and spends the winter in Africa.
Did you know?
Even under railway sleepers
The Northern Wheatear isn't picky about a nest site: it tucks one into piles of stones, rock crevices, abandoned rodent burrows, and even under railway sleepers.
70% gone from Britain since 1967
Between 1967 and 2005 the Northern Wheatear collapsed by 70% or more across the British Isles, one of the steepest declines of any British breeding bird.
Longest sea-crossing of any songbird
Northern Wheatears breeding in Greenland and northeast Canada cross 2,500–4,000 km of Atlantic to reach Africa — probably the longest sea-crossing of any passerine.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
The Northern Wheatear is a small, lively companion of open stony ground. In flight, the black-and-white tail pattern is especially easy to remember, and breeding males also look sharper and more contrasted in spring and summer.
It is alert and quick, often making short hops and darting moves. Its call is a thin whistle, and it also gives chirping and scratchy sounds; during nesting, the male may sing from nearby and make brief song-flights.
It favours mountains and other open rocky places, where it nests in cracks among rocks or other sheltered cavities. It feeds mainly on insects, with berries added in autumn, and spends the winter in Africa.
Did you know?
Even under railway sleepers
The Northern Wheatear isn't picky about a nest site: it tucks one into piles of stones, rock crevices, abandoned rodent burrows, and even under railway sleepers.
70% gone from Britain since 1967
Between 1967 and 2005 the Northern Wheatear collapsed by 70% or more across the British Isles, one of the steepest declines of any British breeding bird.
Longest sea-crossing of any songbird
Northern Wheatears breeding in Greenland and northeast Canada cross 2,500–4,000 km of Atlantic to reach Africa — probably the longest sea-crossing of any passerine.
How to recognize it
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Oenanthe oenanthe Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Northern wheatear Encyclopedia article