Northern Wheatear 212300 223893580 2008-07-06T11:12:11Z SP-KP 169365 /* Taxonomy */ {{Taxobox | name = Northern Wheatear | status = LC | status_ref =<ref name= IUCN>{{IUCN2006|assessors=[[BirdLife International]]|year=2004|id=51817|title=Oenanthe oenanthe|downloaded=12 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern</ref> | image = Oenanthe oenanthe 01 II.jpg | image_width = 200px | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[bird|Aves]] | ordo = [[passerine|Passeriformes]] | familia = [[Old World flycatcher|Muscicapidae]] | genus = ''[[wheatear|Oenanthe]]'' | species = '''''O. oenanthe''''' | binomial = ''Oenanthe oenanthe'' | binomial_authority = ([[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758) }} The '''Northern Wheatear''' or '''Wheatear''' (''Oenanthe oenanthe''), is a small [[passerine]] [[bird]] that was formerly classed as a member of the [[Thrush (bird)|thrush]] family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an [[Old World flycatcher]], Muscicapidae. It is the most widespread member of the [[wheatear]] genus ''Oenanthe'' in Europe and Asia. ==Taxonomy== This species was first described by [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] in his ''Systema naturae'' in 1758 as ''Motacilla oenanthe''.<ref>{{la icon}} {{cite book | last=Linnaeus | first=C | authorlink=Carolus Linnaeus | title=Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. | publisher=Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii). | date=1758| quote = M. dorso cano, fronte alba, oculorum fascia nigra |pages=186}}</ref> The generic name, ''Oenanthe'', is also the name of a [[plant]] genus, the [[water dropwort]]s, and is derived from the Greek ''ainos'' "wine" and ''anthos'' "flower", from the wine-like scent of the flowers.<ref name =Botanical >{{cite web|title= Dropwort, Hemlock Water |work= A Modern herbal |url= http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/d/drophe21.html |publisher= Botanical.com | accessdate=2008-02-05}}</ref> In the case of the wheatear, it references the fact that these birds return to Greece in the spring just as the [[Vitis|grapevines]] blossom.<ref name = enature >{{cite web|title= Northern Wheatear|work= |url= http://www.enature.com/flashcard/show_flash_card.asp?recordNumber=bd0637 |publisher= eNature |accessdate=2008-02-05}}</ref> Its [[English language|English]] name has nothing to do with [[wheat]] or [[ear]]s, but is a [[Thomas Bowdler|bowdlerised]] form of ''white-arse'', which refers to its prominent white rump. The Northern Wheatear is a [[bird migration|migratory]] insectivorous species breeding in open stony country in [[Europe]] and [[Asia]] with a foothold in eastern [[Canada]] and [[Greenland]]. It nests in rock crevices and [[rabbit]] burrows. All birds winter in [[Africa]], which makes the large, bright Greenland race ''leucorhoa'' one of the most impressive long-distance migrants. The following are the subspecies of Northern Wheatear: * nominate ''oenanthe'' * Greenland ''leucorhoa'' * Seebohm's ''seebohmi'' * southern ''libanotica'' * Cretan ''virago'' * Egyptian ''rostrata'' ==Description== The Northern Wheatear is larger than the [[European Robin]] at 14½–16&nbsp;[[centimetre|cm]] length. Both sexes have a white rump and tail, with a black inverted T-pattern at the end of the tail. The summer male has grey upperparts, buff throat and black wings and face mask. In autumn it resembles the female apart from the black wings. The female is pale brown above and buff below with darker brown wings. The male has a whistling, crackly song. Its call is a typical chat ''chack'' noise. ==Status== The Northern Wheatear has an extensive range, estimated at 2.3&nbsp;million&nbsp;square kilometres (0.87&nbsp;million square miles), and a large population estimated at 2.9 million individuals in in Africa and the Americas combined. The species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations), and is therefore evaluated as [[Least Concern]].<ref name =IUCN/> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{commons|Oenanthe oenanthe|Northern Wheatear}} * [http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/especie.phtml?idEspecie=6654 Northern Wheatear videos] on the Internet Bird Collection *[http://www.ibercajalav.net/img/336_WheatearOoenanthe.pdf Ageing and sexing (PDF) by Javier Blasco-Zumeta] [[Category:Oenanthe]] [[Category:Birds of Europe]] [[Category:Birds of the Faroe Islands]] [[Category:Birds of Greenland]] [[bg:Сиво каменарче]] [[cs:Bělořit šedý]] [[cy:Tinwen y Garn]] [[de:Steinschmätzer (Art)]] [[fr:Traquet motteux]] [[it:Oenanthe oenanthe]] [[ka:ჩვეულებრივი მეღორღია]] [[lt:Kūltupis]] [[hu:Hantmadár]] [[nl:Tapuit]] [[no:Steinskvett]] [[nn:Steinskvett]] [[nrm:Tchu-bllaunc]] [[pl:Białorzytka]] [[pt:Chasco-cinzento]] [[sk:Skaliarik sivý]] [[fi:Kivitasku]] [[sv:Stenskvätta]] [[tr:Bayağı kuyrukkakan]]