Wheatear

wheatear: see thrush, bird.

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wheatear

any small northern songbird of the genus Oenanthe, esp O. oenanthe, a species having a pale grey back, black wings and tail, white rump, and pale brown underparts: subfamily Turdinae (thrushes)

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Wheatear 

any bird of the genus Oenanthe, family Turdidae (thrushes). Its size is that of a sparrow to that of a starling. It has a thin beak that is broad at the base and strong, long legs.

Wheatears are found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. They inhabit open places in plains or mountains. They move along the ground by hopping. Their nests are built in ravines, rock streams, crevices in cliffs, buildings, and old rodent burrows. Wheatears are insectivorous migratory birds. A clutch contains four to eight light blue eggs. In the USSR there are seven species. The common wheatear (O. oenanthe) is found almost everywhere throughout the country. The desert wheatear (O. deserti), black-eared wheatear (O. hispánica), Isabelline wheatear (O. isabellina), Indian pied wheatear (O. picata), (O. finschii), and red-rumped wheatear (O. xanthoprymna) are found in the southern part of the European USSR (including the Caucasus), Kazakhstan, Middle Asia, and Southern Siberia.

A. S. MAL’CHEVSKII