Photo: Martien Brand from Mariënberg, The Netherlands / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Wheatear
Oenanthe leucura
Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 41 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 leucura
Quick facts
- Weight
- 41 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black Wheatear is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black Wheatear is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura) belongs to the Muscicapidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL sw, also n Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 41 g, with a wing length of about 9.7 cm and a tail of around 6.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Wheatear?
The Black Wheatear is a small bird that weighs around 41 g.
Where does the Black Wheatear live?
The Black Wheatear is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL sw, also n Africa, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Black Wheatear belong to?
The Black Wheatear (Oenanthe leucura) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black Wheatear eat?
The Black Wheatear is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black Wheatear migrate?
The Black Wheatear is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Black 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 Black Wheatear make?
1 real field recording of the Black Wheatear — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black Wheatear's range?
The Black Wheatear has a mapped global range of about 1.3 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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Guides for this bird
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How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.