White-crowned wheatear facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-crowned wheatear |
|
|---|---|
_Kebili.jpg) |
|
| O. l. aegra Kebili, Tunisia |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification |
The white-crowned wheatear (Oenanthe leucopyga) is a small desert bird. It is also called the white-crowned black wheatear. This bird is a type of wheatear. Scientists used to think it was a thrush. Now, they believe it is an Old World flycatcher.
Contents
Where the White-crowned Wheatear Lives
This wheatear is a medium-sized bird, about 17 to 18 centimeters long. It lives in rocky deserts. You can find it in the Sahara Desert and the Arabian lands. Its home range stretches all the way to Iraq.
Most white-crowned wheatears stay in their home areas. They do not travel far. However, a few have been seen in western Europe. Some have even flown as far as Great Britain.
Reproduction and Nests
These birds build their nests in cracks. They choose spaces in rocks or walls. A female white-crowned wheatear lays 3 to 5 eggs.
What the White-crowned Wheatear Looks Like
Most wheatear types have different looks for males and females. But with the white-crowned wheatear, both sexes look similar. Adult birds are mostly black. They have a white patch on their rump. Their tail is also mostly white.
Young white-crowned wheatears do not have a white crown. Only the full-grown adult birds show this white cap on their heads.
How It Compares to Other Birds
There is another bird called the black wheatear (Oenanthe leucura). It lives in some of the same places. The black wheatear has a black "T" shape on its white tail. The white-crowned wheatear only has a black center on its tail. Also, the black wheatear never has a white crown.
What the White-crowned Wheatear Eats
This bird mainly eats insects. It hunts for them in its desert home.
Its Song
The white-crowned wheatear has a loud song. Its song is more varied than many other wheatear species. It often copies the sounds of other birds.
-
O. l. aegra - MHNT
-
Juvenile O. l. ernesti, Israel
-
Adult O. l. ernesti, Israel
_(15191407254).jpg)
.jpg)
The Meaning of Its Name
The name Oenanthe comes from ancient Greek words. Oinos means "wine" and anthos means "flower." This name was given because the northern wheatear returns to Greece when grapevines bloom.
The specific name leucopyga also comes from ancient Greek. Leukos means "white," and puge means "rump." So, leucopyga means "white-rumped."
The word "wheatear" itself is old. It does not mean "wheat" or "ear." It comes from an old English phrase meaning "white" and "bottom." This refers to the white rump that many wheatear birds have.
