Variable Wheatear Oenanthe picata Scientific name definitions

15 cm; 20–25 g. Male of “<em>picata</em>” morph resembles O. albonigra, but is smaller, smaller-headed and less glossy, with lower back and upper breast black, paler flight-feathers below; female is like male, but black replaced by darkish brown, underparts dull whitish. Male “<em>opistholeuca</em>” resembles O. leucura, but smaller and smaller-headed, with brownish flight-feathers, slightly more white on lower back ; female like male, but black replaced by sooty-brown, and has warm brown to chestnut ear-coverts. Male “<em>capistrata</em>” best distinguished from extremely similar male O. pleschanka by often purer white crown , narrower terminal tailband with less black on outermost rectrix; non-breeding male has paler flight-feathers below, less white scaling on throat and mantle; female is usually warmer brown above than female O. pleschanka. Juvenile resembles female, but with broader buff wing edges above, vague buffy scaling below.

NE & SE Iran, Turkmenistan and extreme S Kazakhstan (2 Wassink, A. (2015). The New Birds of Kazakhstan. Published privately, Texel, The Netherlands. Close ) E to W Tien Shan, Pamirs, N & W Pakistan and Kashmir; non-breeding SW Asia and SE Arabian Peninsula.

Small insects , notably ants, small beetles, flies and small grasshoppers, also largers insects, e.g. moths; occasionally also fruit of Ficus and berries of Grewia. Caterpillars seen brought to nestlings. Prey pursued very actively on ground , in air and from low rock perch . Seen to pursue large moths, including hawkmoths (Sphingidae), in flight.

Song, from prominent vantage (such as rock, telephone wire or rooftop), occasionally in flight, is scratchy and less pleasant than that of O. albonigra and softer than that of O. isabellina, contains low-pitched “chott” calls, whistles, chirrups and trills, with much excellent mimicry; given also in evening in autumn, at start of winter-territory occupation. Young male in Nov heard to give subsong consisting of soft trills, warbles and thin long whistles. Call  a loud “chek-chek” in warning.