Desert Wheatear

Desert Wheatear ( Oenanthe deserti )

The Desert Wheatear ( Oenanthe deserti ) is a bird of the family flycatchers ( Muscicapidae ).

Description

It is characterized by its gray-black wings, the bright of wing and the white in the female hems of the elytra. The tail is almost completely black; the rump is white. The male in breeding plumage has a black throat, while it is in the female pale brown. The Desert Wheatear reaches a length of 14-16 cm.

Distribution and habitat

The Desert Wheatear is in the north of Africa, in the Middle East and Central Asia. He prefers the open, flat and dry surfaces of deserts and semi-deserts. The nesting occurs in crevices or in burrows in the ground. In Central Europe the species is a rare Irrgast.