Photo: Juan Lacruz / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Western Black-eared Wheatear
Oenanthe hispanica
Western Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Western Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 15 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 hispanica
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Western Black-eared Wheatear is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Western Black-eared Wheatear is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Western Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL sw, sc Europe and nw Africa.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 15 g, with a wing length of about 8.8 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 3.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Western Black-eared Wheatear?
The Western Black-eared Wheatear is a very small bird that weighs around 15 g.
Where does the Western Black-eared Wheatear live?
The Western Black-eared Wheatear is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL sw, sc Europe and nw Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Western Black-eared Wheatear belong to?
The Western Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Western Black-eared Wheatear eat?
The Western Black-eared Wheatear is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Western Black-eared Wheatear migrate?
The Western Black-eared Wheatear is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Western Black-eared 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 Western Black-eared Wheatear make?
1 real field recording of the Western Black-eared Wheatear — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Western Black-eared Wheatear's range?
The Western Black-eared Wheatear has a mapped global range of about 3.5 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.
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