Flycatchers and chats · Perching birds
Pied Wheatear
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Oenanthe pleschanka
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Voice
Call
How to recognize it
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14 cm, smaller than a sparrow
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Male bold black-and-white, white head and rump
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Female and juveniles brown above, dark throat
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Often perches on rocks, tail flicking up and down
About the species
The Pied Wheatear moves through open, stony country with a habit of perching in plain sight on rocks or bushes. It often bobs its tail while it watches the ground, then drops down to pick up prey before returning to its lookout.
Its call is a sharp "zack zack". The song is lower and more musical, given by the male from a perch or in flight, with a mixed series of imitated notes.
It breeds in rough steppe, rocky slopes, and hilly ground, and also uses similar places on migration and in winter. It eats mainly insects, but also takes seeds, and it moves south to Northeast Africa for the cold season.
Where to find
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On stony vacant lots and rough ground with sparse grass, perched on a low bush or post and flicking its tail up and down.
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Along clay cuttings and embankment edges — watch for quick drops to the ground to grab an insect, then a hop back to the lookout.
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Near old brick walls, stairways, and bridges, where it clings to cracks and crevices and gives a sharp zack zack call.
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On open steppe-like city edges and rough fallow patches, usually alone or in pairs, making short flights between stones and scrub.
