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Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Passeriformes
Family:
Turdidae
BTO Codes:
W. , WHEAT
EURING No:
11460
Number in Britain:
540 thousand individuals (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
GREEN
European:
3 Concern, most not in Europe; Declining
Global:
Least Concern
View video clips from
IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Migrant Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies:
oenanthe (BW), leucorhoa (P) recorded in Britain (of 4 subsp. in the world)
.
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:
Regional Trends:
Distribution:
New Atlas )
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
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
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
Bern(III), Bonn(II)
Survey Results:
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 (13 - 17) N = 470
by the:
Female (occ. Male)
Fledging:
16 - 17 days
15.54 ± 1.08 (13 - 17) 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
Adult Survival:
No data
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
1
year
Typical Lifespan:
No data
Maximum Recorded Age:
8yr0m
(Sweden: 9yr 1m)
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:
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
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