Photo: Pkspks / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-tailed Wheatear
Oenanthe chrysopygia
Red-tailed Wheatear (Oenanthe chrysopygia) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-tailed Wheatear (Oenanthe chrysopygia) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 22.7 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 chrysopygia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 22.7 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 Red-tailed 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 Red-tailed Wheatear is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Red-tailed Wheatear (Oenanthe chrysopygia) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL Armenia to c Iran, Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 22.7 g, with a wing length of about 9.1 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 670,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-tailed Wheatear?
The Red-tailed Wheatear is a small bird that weighs around 22.7 g.
Where does the Red-tailed Wheatear live?
The Red-tailed Wheatear is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL Armenia to c Iran, Tajikistan and Afghanistan, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Red-tailed Wheatear belong to?
The Red-tailed Wheatear (Oenanthe chrysopygia) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-tailed Wheatear eat?
The Red-tailed Wheatear is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-tailed Wheatear migrate?
The Red-tailed Wheatear is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Red-tailed 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-tailed Wheatear make?
1 real field recording of the Red-tailed 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 Red-tailed Wheatear's range?
The Red-tailed Wheatear has a mapped global range of about 670,000 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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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.