Pied Wheatear

Oenanthe pleschanka

Other Names

    Traquet pie   Nonnensteinschmätzer   Collalba Pía   Nunnestenskvätta   Bonte Tapuit   Monachella dorsonero

World: South-central Eurasia from Romania through Russia to SW Siberia and S to Iran, Afghanistan, N Pakistan, NW India to western and northern central China. Overwinters in Arabia, S Iran and ne Africa.

Kenya: Common palearctic migrant found October-March across much of the country except the coastal strip and Lake Victoria Basin.

Prefers hilly and stony ground often at the edges of cultivations. Perches on shrubs and low branches from which it makes brief sallies to the ground to capture the insects which make up the bulk of its diet. It returns immediately to its perch to eat its prey. At certain times of the year berries are an important part of its diet. It is a solitary species and is highly territorial, although in areas with high numbers the territories can be quite small. Where their populations overlap it breeds with the Black-eared Wheatear O . hispanica and hybrids can be quite common.