Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-rumped Wheatear
Oenanthe moesta
Red-rumped Wheatear (Oenanthe moesta) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
The Red-rumped Wheatear (Oenanthe moesta) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 30.2 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 moesta
Where it lives
Northern Africa to northwestern Saudi Arabia, Syria and western Iraq
Quick facts
- Weight
- 30.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-rumped Wheatear is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of arid, desert country, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Red-rumped Wheatear is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-rumped Wheatear (Oenanthe moesta) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF n Africa to nw Saudi Arabia, Syria and w Iraq.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 30.2 g, with a wing length of about 8.7 cm and a tail of around 6.4 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 923,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-rumped Wheatear?
The Red-rumped Wheatear is a small bird that weighs around 30.2 g.
Where does the Red-rumped Wheatear live?
The Red-rumped Wheatear is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF n Africa to nw Saudi Arabia, Syria and w Iraq, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Red-rumped Wheatear belong to?
The Red-rumped Wheatear (Oenanthe moesta) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-rumped Wheatear eat?
The Red-rumped Wheatear is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-rumped Wheatear migrate?
The Red-rumped Wheatear is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-rumped 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 Red-rumped Wheatear make?
1 real field recording of the Red-rumped 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 Red-rumped Wheatear's range?
The Red-rumped Wheatear has a mapped global range of about 923,000 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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