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Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Migration Flyway

Showing primary migration corridor(s) for this species

Last Spotted Near You

View on eBirdWikipedia

About the Northern Wheatear

The northern wheatear or wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. It is the most widespread member of the wheatear genus Oenanthe in Europe and North and Central Asia. The northern wheatear is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in open stony country in Europe and east across the Palearctic with footholds in northeastern Canada and Greenland as well as in northwestern Canada and Alaska. It nests in rock crevices and rabbit burrows. All birds spend most of their winter in Africa.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name
Oenanthe oenanthe
Family
Old World Flycatchers
Order
Passeriformes

Similar species

Other members of the old world flycatchers family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

  • Amur Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri
  • Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica
  • Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitarius
  • Bluethroat Luscinia svecica
  • Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus
  • Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica
  • European Robin Erithacus rubecula
  • Gray-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta
  • Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki
  • Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina
  • Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka
  • Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus

Know when the Northern Wheatear turns up near you

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