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19

Northern Wheatear

(Oenanthe oenanthe)
Alternate name(s): "Common Wheatear", "Wheatear"
German name(s): "Steinschmätzer"

Size: 14.5-16 cm; wing span 26-32 cm
Weight: 17-30 g

Similar
species

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

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Northern Wheatear at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "oenanthe"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Northern Wheatear - note the dark facial mask (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira da Barragem do Divor, Igrejinha, Arraiolos, Portugal, September 2019]

Frontal view of a male Northern Wheatear - note the dark facial mask (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2018]

Near-lateral view of a male Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2018]

Lateral view of a male Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a male Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila do Bispo, Sagres, Faro, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a male Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Lateral view of a male Northern Wheatear in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Malarranha, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2020]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, September 2020]

Frontal view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Frontal view of a female Northern Wheatear showing clearly the white rump (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-frontal view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2018]

Near-lateral view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2017]

Near-lateral view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, October 2021]

Lateral view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, September 2020]

Dorsal view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Dorsal view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Dorsal view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a female Northern Wheatear at take-off, showing clearly the white rump (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2019]

Sex unknown

Distant view of two Northern Wheatears on a fallow field with rank vegetation, highlighting their excellent camouflage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a first-winter Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2020]

Lateral view of a first-winter Northern Wheatear looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2020]

Lateral view of a first-winter Northern Wheatear; note the black centres on the wing coverts and the buff front part of the supercilium (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, October 2021]

Lateral view of a first-winter Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, September 2020]

Lateral view of a first-winter Northern Wheatear with its tail cocked like a robin's (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Malarranha, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a first-winter Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, October 2021]

Dorsal view of a first-winter Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2018]

Dorsal view of a first-winter Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, October 2021]

Dorsal view of a first-winter Northern Wheatear spreading its wings; note the white rump common to all wheatears
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Malarranha, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2020]

Race "leucorhoa"

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male Northern Wheatear; the rich colours suggest that it is likely of the North-Atlantic race "leucorhoa"
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, April 2019]

Frontal view of a male Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a male Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Castro Verde, Beja, Alentejo, Portugal, September 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a male Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, September 2020]

Frontal view of a male Northern Wheatear in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, September 2018]

Lateral view of a female Northern Wheatear looking at the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, September 2020]

Lateral view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Lateral view of a female Northern Wheatear; despite the mellow light, this bird has such rich colours that it is likely of the North-Atlantic race "leucorhoa" (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, September 2020]

Dorsal view of a female Northern Wheatear looking back at the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, September 2020]

Dorsal view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-lateral view of a first-winter Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-lateral view of a female Northern Wheatear (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Race "libanotica"

ADULT

MALE

Full-frontal view of a male Northern Wheatear in worn plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Frontal view of a male Northern Wheatear in worn plumage sitting on a rock ledge; the feathers on the chest are ruffled from preening, showing the black base colour (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Lateral view of a male Northern Wheatear in worn plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Pair of Northern Wheatears - male on the right, female on the left (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

FEMALE

Near-lateral view of a female Northern Wheatear in worn plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Near-lateral view of a female Northern Wheatear in worn plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Female Northern Wheatear collecting material to line its nest (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Female Northern Wheatear collecting material to line its nest (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Female Northern Wheatear collecting material to line its nest (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-dorsal view of a fledgling Northern Wheatear in its early scalloped plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[June 2018]

Behaviour

Northern Wheatears like to hunt from elevated perches (photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Pyrenees, France, June 2019]

Lateral view of a male Northern Wheatear with its prey, a caterpillar (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Malarranha, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, August 2020]

Lateral view of a female Northern Wheatear with its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a female Northern Wheatear with its prey, a flying insect (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, September 2020]

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