Finsch's Wheatear (Oenanthe finschii)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Oenanthe ("vine bloom" for the time of year they arrived) finschii (for  explorer Friedrich Finsch)

Adult male Finsch's Wheatear (Oenanthe finschii) in mountains near Side, Antalya, Turkey - March 2025

Featured Subspecies: Oenanthe finschii finschii
Weight: 21-32g  /  Length: 14cm  /  Wingspan: 25-27cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A species of dry rocky hillsides from Turkey to Krgyzstan, with this individual being on the extreme Western edge of it's range. It's eponymous name is named after the colonial naturalist and explorer Friedrich Hermann Otto Finsch whose ornithological career including books on parrots of the world, but who also was involved in German colonial plans in South East Asia and the Pacific.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Oenanthe
SUBSPECIES: O. f. finschii, O. f. barnesi

 - Sighting Locations -

TURKEY  -   Turkish:Ak sırtlı kuyrukkakan  ("White-backed Whalepecker")
 - ANTALYA 2025 TRIP - One in mountains near Side

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Eastern Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe melanoleuca)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Oenanthe ("vine bloom" for the time of year they arrived) melanoleuca (black and white)

Adult Eastern Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe melanoleuca) near Side, Antalya, Turkey - March 2025

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 15-22g  /  Length: 13.5-15.5cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A recent split from the closely related Western Black-eared Wheatear, this species had a wide range of appearances depending on morphs, sex, age and season with coloured ranging from start black and white to drab brown and a selection of combinations in between. Their range is South Eastern Europe to Iran and the Caspian Sea.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Oenanthe
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

TURKEY  - 

 - ANTALYA 2025 TRIP - Numerous at several sites near Side

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Oenanthe (specific name for Northern Wheatear) leucura ("white-tailed")

                                               Pair of Black Wheatear (subspecies O. l. leucura) at Patones, Spain - June 2015

Featured Subspecies: Oenanthe leucura leucura

Weight: 37-44g  /  Length: 18cm  /  Wingspan: 26-29cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

Although fairly small, the Black Wheatear I would personally say is one of the most handsome birds I saw on my trip to Madrid - very similar in form (and white rump) to the Northern Wheatear that British birdwatchers would be more familiar with.  It's plumage is clearly very different to that bird though, and unlike that species, the male and female are very similar with only a slight variation in tone of the "black" on the back to differentiate this.  One major difference is more behaviour based - while the Northern Wheatear is very bold and often can be approached quite closely, the Black Wheatear is apparently quite flighty and shy from humans - this pair staying safely at the top of the cliff away from us.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Oenanthe
Subspecies: O. l. leucura, O. l. riggenbachi

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Collabra negra ("Black Wheatear")

Scarce and local Resident

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Pair at Patones 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)

OTHER NAMES: Wheatear, European Wheatear, Common Wheatear

Latin Etymology: Oenanthe ("vine bloom" - for the time of year they appeared) oenanthe ("vine bloom")

Right: Adult male Northern Wheatear (subspecies O. o. oenanthe) near Keswick, Cumbria - April 2011

Right: Adult female Northern Wheatear (subspecies O. o. oenanthe) at Rainham Marshes, London - October 2010

Featured Subspecies: Oenananthe oenanthe oenanthe
Weight: 24g  /  Length: 14.5-16cm  /  Wingspan: 29cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The wheatear is found mainly on upland habitat and as such, getting to such a habitat in the first place is the main concern. It is also a summer only migrant further limiting the chance of seeing them. I was lucky enough to catch this bird on passage at Rainham, where they frequently pass through in spring and autumn. Otherwise I've seen this species at Trevose Head, Gravesend, Hayeswater and Keswick - essentially anywhere that has fairly low ground cover of heather, grasses and gorse, and has prominent rocks for it to stand on. I haven't found this bird too hard to photograph when I have seen it, it seems to be a relatively bold species in general.  This is one of the few British species where 2 subspecies are present - the Greenland race passes through Britain on migration in addition to "O. o. oenanthe" being a breeding species here.

Related species:

Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Oenanthe
Subspecies: O. o. leucorhoa, O. o. ernanthe, O. o. libanotica, O. i. seebohmi

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Locally common breeding Migrant (240,000 pairs - ssp. O. o. oenanthe) and rare passage migrant (ssp. leucorhoa)

 - Birds seen on passage at Rainham Marshes and Trevose Head. Also on breeding grounds at Keswick and Hayeswater.

SPAIN - Spanish - Collalba gris ("Grey Wheatear")

A common Summer migrant, common on passage.

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Numerous in the countryside in April, a particularly showy individual at Arrocampo.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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