Kingdom Animalia Order Passeriformes Genus Oenanthe Higher classification Wheatear | Phylum Chordata Family Muscicapidae Scientific name Oenanthe leucura Rank Species | |
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Similar Wheatear, Bird, Black‑eared wheatear, Thekla lark, White‑crowned wheatear | ||
Birds of morocco black wheatear
The black wheatear (Oenanthe leucura) is a wheatear, a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family, Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher of the Muscicapidae.
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This large 16–18 cm long wheatear breeds on cliffs and rocky slopes in western north Africa and Iberia. It is largely resident and nests in crevices in rocks laying 3-6 eggs.
The male of this species is all black except a white rump and mainly white tail. The female is similar, but dark brown rather than black.
The similar white-crowned wheatear, Oenanthe leucopyga, also breeds in the African part of the black wheatear's range, but the black wheatear has a black inverted "T" on its white tail, whereas white-crowned has only a black centre to its tail. The black wheatear never has a white crown, but young white-crowned wheatears also lack this feature.
The food of this wheatear is mainly insects. It has a loud thrush-like song.