Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Hooded Wheatear (Oenanthe monacha), male
Hooded Wheatear, Male

Hooded Wheatear

Oenanthe monacha

The hooded wheatear, known scientifically as Oenanthe monacha, is a small, striking passerine bird. Once considered part of the thrush family Turdidae, it is now classified under the Old World flycatchers, Muscicapidae. This desert dweller measures between 15.5 to 17 centimeters in length.

Identification Tips

In the summer, the male hooded wheatear presents a dramatic contrast of white and black plumage. Its white crown and belly stand out against the black face, back, and throat. The tail and rump are predominantly white, with black central tail feathers adding to the bird's distinctive appearance. The female, on the other hand, is cloaked in brown with a paler underside. Her tail pattern echoes that of the male, though the background hue shifts to a buff color rather than white.

Habitat

The hooded wheatear is a bird of the desert, favoring environments devoid of vegetation. It is a resident breeder in such arid landscapes.

Distribution

This bird's range extends from eastern Egypt, across the Arabian Peninsula, and into Iran and Pakistan. It is a scarce breeder in the Hajar Mountains and was once found in the UAE and Oman. The hooded wheatear is also known to pass through Cyprus annually.

Behaviour

The hooded wheatear is an adept flyer, often catching insects mid-air. It is a bird well-adapted to the harsh conditions of its desert habitat.

Song & Calls

The call of the hooded wheatear is a simple, whistled "vit." Its song, in contrast, is a more complex and harsh chattering.

Breeding

Nests are constructed within rock crevices, providing shelter and protection. A typical clutch comprises 3 to 6 eggs.

Diet and Feeding

Insects form the staple of the hooded wheatear's diet, with many being snatched from the air in flight.

Conservation status

The hooded wheatear is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that, at present, there are no immediate threats to its population numbers on a global scale.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Hooded Wheatears on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Chats, Old World Flycatchers

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
I’m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. I’m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! 🐦
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Robred 2
Fun way to add to your birdwatching experience
I enjoy watching birds in my backyard, but this app helped me really pay attention while on vacation this summer. It was fun to add new birds to my bird watching app.
Amylia S
Best app for any birding person!
I love this app!! I am so addicted to it when I saw it had 3 star review I was so sad! The app is awesome!! The best app for any birding person! ❤️
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
Trevarthen1
Birda fan
I really enjoy using Birda, all sightings are recorded and photos can be added. There are monthly challenges which help to get you out to record your sightings. The Birda community are great and are happy to help with unidentified bird sightings. Suitable for all ages and experience!
Paul F
Very good database
Highly recommend. It great that this app shows you male Vs female variations when posting. Very good database I'm really impressed.
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.