Mourning wheatear
| Mourning wheatear | |
|---|---|
| |
| In Negev Desert, Israel | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Oenanthe |
| Species: | O. lugens
|
| Binomial name | |
| Oenanthe lugens (Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823)
| |
The mourning wheatear (Oenanthe lugens) is a bird, one of 14 species of wheatear found in northern Africa and the Middle East. It is a small passerine in a group formerly classed as members of the thrush family Turdidae, but now more generally considered to be part of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae.
Taxonomy
[edit]The mourning wheatear was first described by Martin Lichtenstein in 1823.
Panov (Wheatears of Palearctic, 2005) discusses the latest taxonomy for the mourning wheatear superspecies. The mourning wheatear is split from Abyssinian wheatear (Oenanthe lugubris), which is the species found south of the Sahara. The Maghreb wheatear (O. halophila) and basalt wheatear (O. warriae) were formerly considered subspecies of the mourning wheatear, but were split as distinct species by the IOC in 2021.[2] The Egyptian populations of O. lugens are discussed in Baha El Din and Baha El Din (2000).[3] These birds differ from halophila in exhibiting less sexual dimorphism, and displaying a prominent white wingbar, and thus are closer to the nominate race.
Subspecies
[edit]Excluding the split species, the mourning wheatear has two subspecies:[4]
- O. l. lugens (Lichtenstein, 1823) - The nominate form. Occurs from east Egypt and north-east Sudan to north-west Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan and Syria.
- O. l. persica (Seebohm, 1881) - Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.
Description
[edit]The mourning wheatear measures 14.5–16.5 cm in length and weighs between 18–25 g. It is characterized by its striking black-and-white plumage. Both males and females share a similar appearance, featuring a white crown, nape, chest, and belly that contrast with the black head and neck, which extend to the black back. The tail is predominantly white, marked by a black stripe at the tip and a central black intrusion forming an inverted "T" pattern, a characteristic feature of wheatears. While the wings appear entirely black when at rest, they reveal white bases on the flight feathers during flight, creating a distinct white "flag" along the wing.[5] It shows only a subtle sexual dimorphism, with the females sporting more subtle plumage.
Ecology
[edit]Distribution
[edit]It is found in semi-desert areas in North Africa and the Middle East, and has been recorded in the following countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Habitat
[edit]The Mourning Wheatear is primarily found in desert habitats, favoring environments with caves for shelter, rocky slopes, valleys, screes, cliffs, ravines, dry barren wadis, ridges, and flat plains. It occasionally visits villages, lowlands, wastelands, and cultivated fields. The species is typically observed at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 meters.[6]
Status
[edit]The species has a wide distribution range, stable population trends, and is presumed to have a large population, although precise estimates have not been conducted. As a result, it is classified as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).[7]
References
[edit]- ^ BirdLife International (2019). "Oenanthe lugens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T106000073A155609396. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T106000073A155609396.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ^ "Species Updates – IOC World Bird List". Retrieved 2021-06-13.
- ^ Baha El Din, Sherif and Mindy Baha El Din (2000) The occurrence of Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens halophila in Egypt Sandgrouse 22(2): 109-12
- ^ "Mourning Wheatear - Oenanthe lugens". Observation.org. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ Meyroz, Asaf. "סלעית לבנת-כנף, Oenanthe lugens". BirdLife Israel (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2025-01-20.
- ^ Collar, Nigel (2020). "Mourning Wheatear (Oenanthe lugens), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.mouwhe2.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
- ^ "Mourning Wheatear (Oenanthe lugens) | Text | BirdLife International". datazone.birdlife.org. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
Further reading
[edit]- Boon, Leo J. R. (2004) 'Mourning Wheatears' illustrated Dutch Birding 26(4): 223-36