Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe   [Linnaeus, 1758]

Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links

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Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae
BTO Codes: W., WHEAT EURING No: 11460
Number in Britain: 540 thousand individuals (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: AMBER
European: 3 Concern, most not in Europe; Declining
Global: Least Concern ( Details )
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Migrant Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies: oenanthe (BW), leucorhoa (P) recorded in Britain (of 4 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 15 cm Wingspan: 29 cm Weight: M/F: 24 g    
Scientific name from: Gr.: oinanthe a bird mentioned by Aristotle
World Distribution: BREEDS: Eurasia, nw Africa, n North America, Winters Africa
Habitat: Open country
Diet: Mostly insects, also other invertebrates and berries
TitBit: As the ice retreated northwards after the last ice-age, the breeding grounds of this migrant (and others) shifted northwards, the birds migrating back to Africa, even those that now breed in Alaska.  

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends: Scotland   Wales   England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    (Local Atlases)    BBS Maps
British Population Size:
    Summer: 530 to 550 thousand individuals in 2000
    First Record: 11th Century [Fossil evidence from Ipswichian (last) interglacial, c. 125,000 yr ago]
    Latest Survey: Gillings, S & Newson, S (2007) British Birds 100:179-180
    Conservation Status: AMBER because Species of European Concern,
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 GREEN     1996-2001 GREEN  
   Races of Concern: oenanthe AMBER (European Concern), leucorhoa GREEN
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Most frequent in: Moorland
    And found in: Grass/Heath
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
Average Day of First Arrival: 11 Mar
European Population Size:
    Summer: 4.1 to 11.5 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: Bern(III), Bonn(II)
Survey Results: BirdTrack

Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 21 x 16 mm Egg Weight: 2.7 g (of which 5 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 94   (more would be welcome!)
Clutch Size: 5 - 6 eggs 5.45 ± 0.87 (2 - 8) N = 470
Incubation: 14 days 14.25 ± 0.99 (12.5 - 16.5) N = 470   by the: Female (occ. Male)
Fledging: 16 - 17days 15.54 ± 1.08 (13 - 16.5) N = 2140 as: Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid: 11 May (24 Apr - 11 Jun)
Number of Broods: 2(3)
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed: 1544 (Annual Totals)
Adult Survival: 0.460    (M:0.500 ± 0.020; F:0.420 ± 0.020)      
Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: 2 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 8 years 3 months 16 days (set in 2010)
Summary of Ringing Recoveries       

Biometrics

Ring Size: A (pulli B)
Wing Length Adult: 99.9 ± 4.7 Range 93 - 107 mm, N =3168
Juvenile: 98.8 ± 4.2 93 - 106 mm, N =1256
Male: 101.3 ± 4.5 95 - 108 mm, N =1600
Female: 98.4 ± 4.4 92 - 105 mm, N =1533
Weight Adult: 28.20 ± 5.17 Range 22.10 - 38.80 g , N =3014
Juvenile: 25.37 ± 3.17 20.60 - 31.30 g , N =1138
Male: 28.89 ± 5.45 22.70 - 40.10 g , N =1524
Female: 27.52 ± 4.76 21.60 - 37.10 g , N =1456
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names

Northern Wheatear
Gaelic: Brù-gheal Welsh: Tinwen y Garn
Danish: Stenpikker Dutch: Tapuit
Finnish: Kivitasku French: Traquet motteux
German: Steinschmätzer Hungarian: Hantmadár
Icelandic: Steindepill Irish: Clochrán
Italian: Culbianco Norwegian: Steinskvett
Polish: Bialorzytka zwyczajna Portuguese: Chasco-cinzento
Spanish: Collalba gris Swedish: Stenskvätta
Local Names:White Arse

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:
   Conder, P. 1989 The wheatear Christopher Helm, London [598.911 CON]
   Panov, E.N. 2005 Wheatears of Palearctic [sic] Pensoft Publishers [598.911 PAN]
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead