Wheatear
193894
218372749
2008-06-10T10:34:21Z
Wereon
33684
{{Taxobox
| name = Wheatears
| image = Oenanthe oenanthe 01 II.jpg
| image_caption = [[Northern Wheatear]] (male)
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[bird|Aves]]
| ordo = [[Passeriformes]]
| familia = [[Muscicapidae]]
| genus = '''''Oenanthe'''''
| genus_authority = [[Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot|Vieillot]], 1816
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
See text.
}}
[[Image:Wheatear bird.jpg|thumb|150px|Northern Wheatear]]
The '''wheatears''' are birds of the [[genus]] '''''Oenanthe'''''. They were formerly considered to be members of the [[Thrush (bird)|thrush]] family Turdidae, but are now more commonly now placed in the [[Old World flycatcher|flycatcher]] family Muscicapidae. This is an Old World group, but the [[Northern Wheatear]] has established a foothold in eastern [[Canada]] and [[Greenland]].
''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 the type species, the Northern Wheatear, returns 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>
They are terrestrial insectivorous [[passerine]] [[bird]]s of open, often dry, country . They often nest in rock crevices or disused burrows.
Northern species are long-distance [[bird migration|migrants]], wintering in [[Africa]].
Wheatears are typically larger than the [[European Robin]]. Most species have characteristic black and white or red and white markings on their rumps or their long tails.
Most species are strongly [[sexual dimorphism|sexually dimorphic]]; only the male has the striking plumage patterns characteristic of the genus, though the females share the white or red rump patches.
Its [[English language|English]] name has nothing to do with [[wheat]] or [[ears]], but is a [[bowdlerise]]d form of white-arse, which refers to its prominent white rump.
The wheatear species are:
* [[Northern Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe oenanthe''
* [[Isabelline Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe isabellina''
* [[Desert Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe deserti''
* [[Black-eared Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe hispanica''
* [[Pied Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe pleschanka''
* [[Cyprus Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe cypriaca''
* [[Finsch's Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe finscii''
* [[Mourning Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe lugens''
* [[Hooded Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe monacha''
* [[White-crowned Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe leucopyga''
* [[Black Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe leucura''
* [[Persian Wheatear]] or Red-tailed Wheatear, ''Oenanthe xanthoprymna''
* [[Red-rumped Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe moesta''
* [[Hume's Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe alboniger''
* [[Mountain Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe monticola''
* [[Somali Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe phillipsi''
* [[Variable Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe picata''
* [[Capped Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe pileata''
* [[Red-breasted Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe bottae''
* [[Heuglin's Wheatear]], ''Oenanthe heuglini''
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Oenanthe|*]]
[[Category:Genera of birds]]
[[de:Steinschmätzer (Gattung)]]
[[fr:Oenanthe (oiseau)]]
[[he:סלעית (ציפור)]]
[[ka:მეღორღია]]
[[sw:Mhozo]]
[[lt:Kūltupiai]]