Northern Wheatear
Oenanthe oenanthe
This tiny songbird performs one of the most remarkable migrations on Earth, traveling up to 30,000 kilometers round-trip between its Arctic breeding grounds and African wintering sites.
- Scientific name
- Oenanthe oenanthe
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Muscicapidae › Oenanthe
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- tundra
- Habitat
- Open rocky country, barren tundra, scree slopes, and short-grass pastures.
- Diet
- Primarily insects such as beetles, ants, and caterpillars, as well as spiders and occasional autumn berries.
- Range
- North America, Europe, Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
- Size
- 14.5 to 16 cm in length, with a wingspan of 26 to 32 cm
- Lifespan
- 2 to 5 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss through agricultural intensification, climate change altering tundra breeding ranges, and hazards during long-distance migration.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. Observe this active songbird from a safe distance of 10-15 meters using binoculars. They are easily spooked; avoid approaching their ground nests in rocky crevices during the spring breeding season.
The northern wheatear or wheatear ( Oenanthe oenanthe ) is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae. It is the most widespread member of the wheatear genus Oenanthe in Europe and Asia.
Photo: Paul Lewis, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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