Hooded Wheatear Bird Facts (Oenanthe monacha)

The Hooded Wheatear is a striking bird with distinctive markings. Males have a black body with a prominent white crown stripe extending through the eye to the nape. This contrasts with their white lower back, tail edges, and underparts. Their tail centre feathers are black with subtle dark markings near the tip.

Females are more subtly coloured, with pale sandy-brown plumage, mid-grey wings, and rusty-brown tones on their lower back and tail. Both sexes have black legs and beaks. Young birds look similar to females but have buff spots above and dark scaling below.

The Hooded Wheatear is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

The Hooded Wheatear is not typically found in Garden habitats.

The Hooded Wheatear is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

The Hooded Wheatear is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

The Hooded Wheatear is not typically found in Urban habitats.

The Hooded Wheatear is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

The Hooded Wheatear is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

The Hooded Wheatear can be found in Desert habitats.

The Hooded Wheatear is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

The Hooded Wheatear is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

The Hooded Wheatear can be found in Mountain habitats.

The Hooded Wheatear is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Hooded Wheatears inhabit arid and semi-arid regions, favoring rocky deserts, barren hillsides, and mountain slopes. Their range extends from northeastern Africa through the Middle East to southwestern Asia.

While primarily resident in much of their range, some populations undertake short-distance migrations. They are most common in countries like Egypt, Israel, and Iran.

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Hooded Wheatear. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons

Species that can be found in the area throughout the year

Afghanistan Egypt Iran Israel Jordan Oman Pakistan Palestine Saudi Arabia Sudan United Arab Emirates Yemen

Species that are present in the area outside their breeding season

Bahrain

Species that pass through the area during migration

Qatar

Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range

Cyprus Djibouti Iraq Kuwait Syria

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

Highly agile flyer capable of swift aerial manoeuvres to catch insects in mid-air. Their 'sit-and-wait' hunting strategy requires precise control and quick reflexes for successful prey capture.

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

Whilst not particularly strong for their size, they possess adequate strength for their lifestyle. Their small body mass (18-23g) limits their overall strength, though they're capable of carrying nesting materials and defending territories.

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

Remarkable adaptability to extreme desert conditions, surviving in areas with minimal rainfall. Shows behavioural flexibility by following large animals to catch disturbed insects and can thrive at elevations up to 1,400 metres.

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

Moderately aggressive during breeding season, defending territories and nest sites. Males actively engage in territorial displays and defence, though they're not notably aggressive compared to other similar-sized birds.

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Good endurance demonstrated through their ability to maintain territories year-round in harsh desert conditions. Capable of sustained hunting flights and some populations undertake short-distance migrations, indicating decent stamina.

Hooded Wheatears primarily feed on insects, including beetles, ants, and flying insects. They employ a 'sit-and-wait' hunting strategy, swooping down from perches to catch prey on the ground or in mid-air.

During autumn, they may supplement their diet with small berries.

Hooded Wheatears are often seen perched prominently on rocks or low bushes, from where they scan for prey. They are agile flyers, frequently engaging in short, swift flights to catch insects mid-air.

These birds are generally solitary or found in pairs, maintaining territories year-round in some areas.

The Hooded Wheatear's song is a melodious, warbling whistle, often delivered from a prominent perch or during display flights.

Their call is a sharp, metallic 'chack' or 'tick'. During the breeding season, males become particularly vocal, singing to establish territories and attract mates.

Breeding season for Hooded Wheatears typically occurs from March to June. Males perform aerial displays to attract females, including song flights and wing-fluttering displays.

Nests are built in rock crevices, holes in cliffs, or sometimes in abandoned burrows. The female constructs a cup-shaped nest using grass, roots, and animal hair, often lining it with softer materials.

The female lays 3-5 pale blue eggs with reddish-brown spots. Incubation lasts about 13-14 days, primarily by the female. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge after approximately 14-16 days.

The Hooded Wheatear typically lives for 2 years.

Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.

The Hooded Wheatear is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. However, like many desert species, it faces threats from habitat degradation due to overgrazing and climate change.

Conservation efforts focus on protecting its arid habitat and monitoring population trends.

Look for Hooded Wheatears in rocky desert areas and mountain slopes
Watch for their distinctive black and white plumage (males) or brown and grey colouration (females)
Observe their habit of perching on prominent rocks or bushes
Listen for their melodious whistling calls, especially during the breeding season

Main predators include snakes, small mammals like foxes, and birds of prey such as falcons and shrikes.

Hooded Wheatears can survive in areas with very little rainfall, adapting to extreme desert conditions.
They have been observed following large animals to catch insects disturbed by their movement.
Some individuals have been known to reuse the same nesting site for multiple years.

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Visual Identification

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Understanding the Ratings:

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Aggressiveness

Endurance

Diet

Behaviour

Vocalisation

Nesting & Breeding

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Conservation and Status

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Rarity Index

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