Northern Wheatear Identification

Breeding male (Eurasian)

Adult male in breeding plumage has a black mask, grayish upperparts, black wings and tail, and a buffy throat.

Breeding male (Greenland)

“Greenland” adult male in breeding plumage has a darker buff throat and more extensive buff underparts than “Eurasian” adult male.

Breeding male (Eurasian)

A small, rather full-bodied songbird. When alert, stands in an upright position, bobs body, and wags tail. Song is a variable mix of whistles, buzzes, crackling sounds, chack and weet calls, and imitations of the alarm calls of other bird species.

Breeding female (Eurasian)

Adult female in breeding plumage has a faint charcoal mask bordered by a white eyestripe, brownish-gray upperparts, blackish wings and tail, and mostly whitish underparts.

Immature

Some immature birds are a rich cinnamon overall.

Breeding male (Eurasian)

Adult male in breeding plumage has a black mask, gray upperparts, black wings, a black tail, a buffy throat, and white underparts with a variable amount of buff coloring. Frequently found in rocky areas.

Juvenile

Even in unfamiliar juvenile plumage, this species has a distinctive long-legged, short-tailed appearance.

Breeding male (Eurasian)

Shows namesake white rump and white-and-black tail in all plumages. The black band at the tip of the tail extends to form an inverted “T” on the central tail feathers.

Breeding female (Greenland)

Adult breeding female lacks the male’s black mask and has more subdued colors—brownish-gray upperparts and brownish-black wings. Both sexes frequently give chack and weet calls, often in combination.

Nonbreeding male

Typically found on the ground, often perched on rocks.

Nonbreeding adult

Nonbreeding male has a reduced black mask, grayish upperparts, and black wings with buffy feather edging.

Breeding female (Greenland)

Nests in rocky crevices, animal burrows, and human-made cavities (in building crevices, under roof tiles, in pipes, etc.). Feeds primarily on insects.

Female/immature (Eurasian)

Female and immature in the autumn have black lore (between eye and bill), faint blackish mask behind the eye, whitish stripe over the eye, and brownish-gray upperparts.

Habitat

A bird of open-country habitats with short vegetation and scattered rocks and boulders.

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Identification

Small thrush-like bird with distinctive black-and-white tail pattern best seen in flight. Throughout most of range, breeding male is overall pale with gray back and buffy throat, black mask, and black wings. Breeding female is duller without black mask. Nonbreeding and immature birds are bright buffy overall with subtle pale eyebrow and lack contrasting black wings. Note long legs and upright posture. Tends to stay on the ground or on low perches. Primarily Eurasian species with a limited breeding range in Alaska; breeds in areas of bare rock and short grass and spends the non-breeding season in open habitats such as grasslands and barren rocky plains. Jumbled-sounding song is quite variable, often including whistles, trills, and mimicry. Calls include a high-pitched “weet”, dry rattle, and dry “chak”, often repeated.

Relative Size

About the same size as a Lapland Longspur.

Size chart showing sparrow to goose sized

Measurements

Both Sexes
- Length: 5.7-6.1 in (14.5-15.5 cm)
- Weight: 0.6-1.2 oz (18-33 g)

Regional Differences

Ornithologists recognize two Northern Wheatear subspecies groups: a “Greenland” group that breeds in northeastern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands; and a “Eurasian” group whose breeding range extends across most of Europe and northern Asia to Alaska and northwestern Canada. Birds in the “Greenland” group are larger than “Eurasian” birds, and in breeding plumage, “Greenland” adult males generally have richer and more extensively buff underparts, but identifying the two groups can be challenging.