THE WHEATEAR. 



{Saxicola oenanthe.) 



The Wheatear is a remarkable bird be- 

 cause of its extensive distribution. Abun- 

 dant in both Europe and Asia, it migrates 

 in winter to northern Africa and India. 

 It is also quite common in Greenland, and 

 is found in Labrador. From there it 

 straggles southward to Nova Scotia, and 

 along the Atlantic coast as far as the 

 Bermudas. On the western coast of 

 America it is only found in Alaska. Here 

 its visits are seasonal, and in its migra- 

 tions it must fly across Bering's Strait 

 and southward through Asia, as it has 

 never been observed in British Columbia, 

 or southward along the Pacific coast. The 

 range of this bird extends nearly around 

 the world, and from far within the Arc- 

 tic circle to the torrid climes of the equa- 

 tor. 



A few of these birds seem to winter in 

 the British Islands, but the majority, hav- 

 ing passed the season of severe weather 

 in more southern regions, return to the 

 coast of England early in the spring. 

 They soon leave the rocky shores and 

 fly to the downs and fallow lands. When 

 crossing the water, the Wheatears, in an 

 apparently exhausted condition, often 

 alight upon vessels. 



The Wheatear is an active bird, always 

 alert, and is usually in motion. On the 

 ground, and it is decidedly a terrestrial 

 species, it hops rapidly, constantly jerking 

 its tail. When disturbed, it utters a cry 

 like "the syllables peep, chack, chack." 

 For this reason and on account of its 

 predilection for stony places, it is named 

 in most parts of Scotland the "Stan- 

 chack." Because of the white plumage 

 on the rump of the Wheatear it is often 

 called White-rump or White-rumped 

 Stonechat. It is a shy bird, and its favor- 

 ite resorts are lonely meadows and fal- 

 low-lands and other localities little fre- 

 quented by disturbing creatures. In such 

 places it can easily retreat to the friendly 

 cover of a clot of earth or a stone pile 

 when danger is near. 



The male Wheatear has a sweet and 

 lively song, and it is said to be quite suc- 

 cessful in its efforts to imitate the notes 

 of other birds. Seebohm says : "The 

 love notes form a short but pleasing song, 

 and the more particularly are we apt to 

 view his performance with favor, be- 

 cause it generally greets the ear in wild 

 and lonely places. * * * Sometimes 

 he warbles his notes on his perch, accom- 

 panying them with graceful motion of 

 the wings, and finally launching into the 

 air to complete his song, the aerial flut- 

 tering seeming to give the performance 

 additional vigor." It is said that the 

 Wheatear in confinement will sing con- 

 tinually and far into the night. 



The nests of the Wheatear are usually 

 placed in wild localities, and are well 

 protected by their natural surroundings. 

 The deep recesses of sea coast rocks and 

 the crevices of old stone walls are favor- 

 ite nesting sites. Not infrequently its 

 home is built in the loose piles of stones 

 found in abandoned gravel pits. Yar- 

 rell writes of one Wheatear that had 

 nested in a bank behind a pile of stones. 

 To reach this spot the bird passed 

 through the "interstices of some rather 

 large, loose stones, as a mouse would 

 have done, and then laterally to a hollow 

 space in a bank, against which the stones 

 were laid ; and so deep had she pene- 

 trated that many stones had to be re- 

 moved before we could discover her 

 treasures." But the Wheatear does not 

 always show as much caution in the se- 

 lection of a nesting site. Sometimes it 

 chooses a deserted rabbit burrow or a 

 space underneath a clod of earth in a fal- 

 low-field. The nest is usually construct- 

 ed with the stems of plants and grasses, 

 and is well lined with feathers and hair. 



The Wheatear feeds on worms, small 

 mollusks and insects. Flies are often 

 caught while on the wing, the bird 

 launching forth from its perch on a clod 

 or stone pile and returning after the cap- 

 ture, as do the flycatchers. 



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