Photo: Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Capped Wheatear
Oenanthe pileata
Capped Wheatear (Oenanthe pileata) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Capped Wheatear (Oenanthe pileata) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 26.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Oenanthe
- Species pileata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 26.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Capped Wheatear is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Capped Wheatear is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Capped Wheatear (Oenanthe pileata) is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF sc, s.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 26.8 g, with a wing length of about 9.3 cm and a tail of around 6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Capped Wheatear?
The Capped Wheatear is a small bird that weighs around 26.8 g.
Where does the Capped Wheatear live?
The Capped Wheatear is found across Africa with a range covering AF sc, s, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Capped Wheatear belong to?
The Capped Wheatear (Oenanthe pileata) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Capped Wheatear eat?
The Capped Wheatear is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Capped Wheatear migrate?
The Capped Wheatear is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Capped Wheatear endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Capped Wheatear make?
1 real field recording of the Capped Wheatear — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Capped Wheatear's range?
The Capped Wheatear has a mapped global range of about 6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.