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19

Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) German name(s): "Mittelmeersteinschmätzer"; race "hispanica": "Maurensteinschmätzer"; race "melanoleuca": "Balkansteinschmätzer" Size: 13.5-15.5 cm

Europe: Family Group 19 Family Group 19 Table European Robin Common Redstart Black Redstart Bluethroat Whinchat European Stonechat Common Rock Thrush Blue Rock Thrush Common Nightingale Northern Wheatear Isabelline Wheatear Black-eared Wheatear Black Wheatear White-throated Dipper Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

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Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Black-eared Wheatears are medium-sized wheatears, which are roughly robin-sized birds. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Males of both races, "hispanica" and "melanoleuca", can have either a black throat or a grey throat. Male Black-eared Wheatears have a prominent facial mask, with wide black eye-stripes extending to also include the ear coverts (and in black morphology males also the chin and throat) contrasting with the rest of the head, which is grey to buff or ochre. The crown, nape of the neck and chest are also buff/ochre in fresh plumage. The wings and the uppertail, except for two white panels connecting to the white rump, are black. In worn plumage the buff/ochre hues become paler in race "hispanica", while they disappear entirely in race "melanoleuca" whose males are then all grey and black. Female Black-eared Wheatears have highly cryptic plumage affording them excellent camouflage on rocky/sandy terrain. They are ochrous greyish-brown throughout, with an inconspicuous facial mask. The upperparts are a shade darker than the underparts. The wing feathers are dark. When fresh, they have broad ochrous edges, which disappear when worn. They also have two types of throat, which can either be a shade lighter than the underparts or, together with the ear coverts, vermiculated dark-grey. Females of race "hispanica" are more ochrous than those of race "melanoleuca". The irises of both sexes are dark. The slender straight bill, legs and feet are black in males and dark-grey in females. Juvenile males resemble females, but with some vermiculation on ear coverts and possibly throat and with wide buff/ochre edge lining on the scapulars.

Taxonomy, classification See Black-eared Wheatear at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Black-eared Wheatear is available HERE . There are 2 extant races of the Black-eared Wheatear, all of which are strongly migratory. Altogether, the breeding range of the Black-eared Wheatear extends from the Iberian peninsula and north-western Africa through the (near-)coastal Mediterranean and Balkans, via Asia Minor, to parts of the Middle East, Iraq and Iran. The winter quarters are in sub-Saharan Africa, with the western race, "hispanica", overwintering in an area from the West coast to Nigeria/Chad and the eastern race, "melanoleuca", overwintering in the Sudan. During their migration they can be found basically anywhere between breeding areas and winter quarters (including, e.g., in Arabia). Both races of Black-eared Wheatears, "hispanica" and "melanoleuca", occur in Europe. Western race "hispanica" breeds on the Iberian peninsula, parts of the Cote d'Azure and in Sicily and southern Italy. Race "melanoleuca" breeds anywhere along the eastern Adriatic coastline, as far northwards as border region of Italy and Slovenia, and throughout the rest of south-eastern Europe, with the Danube as the northern border. Black-eared Wheatears have a preference for breeding in open, often barren and/or stony, country with scattered trees, shrubs or rocks, usually below 600 m altitude.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "melanoleuca" We have not seen a Black-eared Wheatear in Europe yet. The bird shown below, of race "melanoleuca", was found by D. Wilczynska on the southern slopes of the Caucasus in Georgia in June 2018. All photographic information presented on this page has kindly been contributed by D. Wilczynska.

Photos

Race "melanoleuca"

ADULT

MALE

Grey morphology

Lateral view of a male Black-eared Wheatear sitting on a rock; note that this bird is of the grey-chinned morphology
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

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