Northern wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe

Identification Tips:

• Length: 5.5 inches
• Thin bill
• White supercilium
• Dark legs
• White rump and base of tail
• Tip of tail black
• Wings black
• Forages actively on the ground in open habitats
• North American range restricted to parts of Alaska and Yukon-casual stray to rest of United States and Canada

Adult male:

• Black mask
• Variably buffy underparts
• Gray upperparts

Female and immature:

• Plumage similar to adult male but duller, browner and lacks black mask

Similar species:

The Northern Wheatear is fairly easy to identify with its thin bill, active habits and diagnostic rump and tail pattern.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.