The Arabian wheatear is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Oman, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Region
Arabian Peninsula
Typical Environment
Occurs in the highlands of southwestern Saudi Arabia, western Yemen, and northern Oman, favoring rocky slopes, escarpments, and terraced fields. It occupies stony wadis, scattered shrublands, and village edges with walls and outcrops. The species often uses perches such as boulders and fence posts to hunt, and it tolerates lightly modified agricultural landscapes. It is most numerous in cooler montane zones where moisture and insects are more reliable.
Altitude Range
800–3000 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Arabian wheatear is a highland specialist of the Arabian Peninsula, often seen perched on rocks or stone walls as it scans for prey. It belongs to the wheatear group known for a striking white rump and tail pattern with a black terminal band. It was formerly treated as part of the Mourning Wheatear complex but is recognized by many authorities as a distinct species. Pairs defend territories year-round and readily use crevices and human-made structures for nesting.
Temperament
alert and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, bounding flights
Social Behavior
Typically found singly or in pairs; pairs maintain territories throughout the year. Nests are placed in rock crevices, stone walls, or banks, lined with plant fibers and hair. Both parents feed the young, and the species often returns to traditional nesting sites across seasons.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The song is a soft, variable warble interspersed with trills and short whistles delivered from prominent perches. Calls include sharp ticking 'chak' notes and harsh chatters when alarmed.
Plumage
Male shows a contrasting dark hood and breast with grey-brown to brown upperparts, clean whitish underparts, and a bright white rump; tail is white with a broad black terminal band. Female is more uniformly sandy-brown above with paler underparts and a less contrasting head, sharing the same wheatear tail pattern. Both sexes have fine, straight bills and upright, tail-flicking posture typical of wheatears.
Diet
Primarily hunts ground-dwelling insects such as beetles, ants, and orthopterans, and also takes spiders and other small arthropods. It employs perch-and-sally tactics, dropping to the ground to snatch prey or making short aerial sallies. Occasionally picks small berries or seeds, especially when insects are scarce.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along rocky slopes, stony fields, and the margins of wadis where bare ground and scattered rocks provide foraging vantage points. Often forages near terraces, tracks, and village edges.
