Photo: Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Northern Wheatear
Oenanthe oenanthe
Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 25.4 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 oenanthe
Quick facts
- Weight
- 25.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Northern 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 Northern Wheatear is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL widespread, also n NA.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 25.4 g, with a wing length of about 9.5 cm and a tail of around 5.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 29.2 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Northern Wheatear?
The Northern Wheatear is a small bird that weighs around 25.4 g.
Where does the Northern Wheatear live?
The Northern Wheatear is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL widespread, also n NA, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Northern Wheatear belong to?
The Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Northern Wheatear eat?
The Northern Wheatear is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Northern Wheatear migrate?
The Northern Wheatear is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Northern 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 Northern Wheatear make?
1 real field recording of the Northern 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 Northern Wheatear's range?
The Northern Wheatear has a mapped global range of about 29.2 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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A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.