What does wheatear mean?

What’s the difference between a wagtail and a wheatear?

A male White Wagtail was in the carpark and a rather bedraggled male Wheatear was on the short turf near the beach.

What is the meaning of wheatear?

Definition of wheatear. : any of various small thrushes (genus Oenanthe) especially : a white-rumped one (O. oenanthe) of northern North America and the Old World.

Where do wheatears come from?

This is an Old World group, but the northern wheatear has established a foothold in eastern Canada and Greenland and in western Canada and Alaska . The name “wheatear” is not derived from ” wheat ” or any sense of ” ear “, but is a folk etymology of “white” and ” arse “, referring to the prominent white rump found in most species.

Is a wheatear a flycatcher?

They were formerly considered to be members of the thrush family, Turdidae, but are now more commonly placed in the flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. This is an Old World group, but the northern wheatear has established a foothold in eastern Canada and Greenland and in western Canada and Alaska .

How many species of wheatears are in the genus Oenanthe?

The genus contains 32 species: 1 Northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe 2 Atlas wheatear, Oenanthe seebohmi More

What kind of bird is a wheatear?

Wheatears are terrestrial insectivorous birds of open, often dry, country. They often nest in rock crevices or disused burrows. Northern species are long-distance migrants, wintering in Africa . Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oenanthe (bird). ^ “Wheatear”. Merriam Webster Online.

Is a wheatear a dimorphic species?

Most species are strongly sexually dimorphic; only the male has the striking plumage patterns characteristic of the genus, though the females share the white or red rump patches. Wheatears are terrestrial insectivorous birds of open, often dry, country. They often nest in rock crevices or disused burrows.

What type of bird is a wheatear?

The northern wheatear or wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae.

When was the genus Oenanthe introduced?

The genus Oenanthe was introduced by the French ornithologist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot in 1816 with Oenanthe leucura, the black wheatear, as the type species.

When do wheatears come to the UK?

Wheatears are migratory birds, arriving in the UK in March. Males have black cheeks, a white eye stripe and a grey crown. A clutch of four to seven eggs are laid in May.

Where does the wheatear live?

It is the most widespread member of the wheatear genus Oenanthe in Europe and North and Central Asia . The northern wheatear is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in open stony country in Europe and east across the Palearctic with footholds in northeastern Canada and Greenland as well as in northwestern Canada and Alaska.

What is the difference between a Robin and a wheatear?

The northern wheatear is larger than the European robin at 14.5–16 cm (5.7–6.3 in) in length. The northern wheatear also has a wingspan of 26- 32 cm and weighs 17-30 g. Both sexes have a white rump and tail, with a black inverted T-pattern at the end of the tail.

What does Oenanthe mean in Greek?

The generic name, Oenanthe, is also the name of a plant genus, the water dropworts, and is derived from the Greek ainos “wine” and anthos “flower”, from the wine-like scent of the flowers. In the case of the wheatear, it refers to these birds’ return to Greece in the spring just as the grapevines blossom.

How do wheatears get from Greenland to the UK?

But Greenland wheatears only leave their breeding grounds in August, so reach us in September – and sometimes even in October. Some bypass the UK entirely. They use strong winds to make a 30-hour, non-stop flight of 2,400 km (1,500 miles), directly from Greenland to southern Europe.

How can we tell male and Female crows apart?

But even if wecan’t tell male from female, the birds can. Scientists believe crows may be able to tell each other apart by slight variations in their calls, or because they can see differences in each other’s feathers in the ultraviolet spectrum. Today’s show brought to you by the Bobolink Foundation.

When do wheatears come back to the UK?

By June, it has started to breed there. By August, most of our breeding wheatears are heading back south. But Greenland wheatears only leave their breeding grounds in August, so reach us in September – and sometimes even in October. Some bypass the UK entirely.

How far do wheatears migrate?

It makes one of the longest migrations of any bird crossing oceans, ice and deserts, breeding as far north as the Arctic tundra of Canada, Alaska, and Greenland before returning to their wintering grounds of sub-Saharan Africa. Tracking devices have recorded journeys of 30,000 km. What do wheatears look like?

Are there male robins with white wing bars?

And the white wing bars which many claim are only present in female robins are in fact present in both sexes. Like goldfinches, for example, the overlap in characteristics between male and female robins means the sexes are only statistically distinguishable, rather than reliably distinguishable, like, say, chaffinches

What is the scientific name of Oenanthe?

The species is now placed in the genus Oenanthe that was introduced by the French ornithologist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot in 1816. The generic name, Oenanthe, is also the name of a plant genus, the water dropworts, and is derived from the Greek ainos “wine” and anthos “flower”, from the wine-like scent of the flowers.

What are the top 5 birds of Greece?

List of birds of Greece. 1 Contents. Ducks, geese, and waterfowl. Pheasants, grouse, and allies. Flamingos. Grebes. Pigeons and doves. Sandgrouse. Bustards. Cuckoos. Nightjars … 2 Ducks, geese, and waterfowl. 3 Pheasants, grouse, and allies. 4 Flamingos. 5 Grebes. More items

How do wheatears get from Greenland to Europe?

But Greenland wheatears only leave their breeding grounds in August, so reach us in September – and sometimes even in October. Some bypass the UK entirely. They use strong winds to make a 30-hour, non-stop flight of 2,400 km (1,500 miles), directly from Greenland to southern Europe. All wheatears cross the Mediterranean to Africa via Spain.

What is the size of a male crow?

From beak to tail, a male crow measures about 45-50 cms (16–20 in), Males crows appear to be larger and their call is CaaW-CaaW-CaaW slightly different from the females. Crows are very social birds and love to mingle with their community.

Is there a name for a female crow?

Interesting. The closest I could find to a name for a female crow is Cuervo femenino in Spanish. Interestingly, the Native American Crow tribe apparently doesn’t have a name for a female crow— áalihte is Crow for crow, without distinction for gender.

Where are the Greenland wheatears now?

By August, most of our breeding wheatears are heading back south. But Greenland wheatears only leave their breeding grounds in August, so reach us in September – and sometimes even in October. Some bypass the UK entirely. They use strong winds to make a 30-hour, non-stop flight of 2,400 km (1,500 miles), directly from Greenland to southern Europe.