Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

Oenanthe melanoleuca (Güldenstädt, 1775) (3, 12)

Photo © Kris Webb

STATUS

Southern central, south-eastern Europe through the Middle East to Iran and south-west Kazakhstan. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

Black-eared Wheatear O. hispanica was split into two species during 2019: Eastern Black-eared Wheatear O. melanoleuca and Western Black-eared Wheatear O. hispanica.

Below are the records accepted as of this species.

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BBRC RECORDS

1). 1915 Greater Manchester Burnage, near Didsbury, Lancashire, male, seen, 29th March.

(F. C. R. Jourdain, British Birds 9: 155; Witherby, 1920-24; Oakes, 1953).

2). 1915 Yorkshire Hills, male, seen, 6th June.

(W. S. Medlicott, British Birds 9: 122-123; Witherby, 1920-24; Chislett, 1952; Mather, 1986).

3). 1940 Lancashire & North Merseyside Near Lytham, two, males, seen, 18th to 22nd April.

(R. H. Fisher & J. W. Sutcliffe, British Birds 34: 109-110; Oakes, 1953).

4). 1975 Dorset Portland Bill, first-summer male, 14th June.

(J. N. Dymond and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 69: 345; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 589).

5). 1979 Fair Isle Double Dyke, adult female, trapped, 18th June, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 73: 520, plates 266 & 267; British Birds 80: plate 96; I. S. Robertson, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report 1979: 18, photos).

6). 1980 Fife Isle of May, first-summer male, 2nd to 23rd May, trapped 5th May, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 74: 483; Scottish Birds 11: plate 24b; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 589).

7). 1985 Dorset Portland: Blacknor, first-summer male, 27th to 28th May, photo.

(British Birds 78: plate 192; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 570; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 589).

8). 1989 Outer Hebrides Tigharry, North Uist, male, 19th to 20th May.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 83: 476).

9). 1997 Fair Isle Schoolton, first-summer male, 17th to 25th July; same, Busta Geo/Da Soonds area, 26th August to 8th September, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 502; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).

10). 1998 Isles of Scilly Castle Down, Tresco, male, 18th to 23rd May, photo.

(Birding World 11 (5): 171, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 93: 549; Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1998: photo; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 111).

11). 2000 Dorset Upton Heath, first-summer male, 25th to 26th June, photo.

(Birding World 13 (6): 216, photo; Birding World 13 (12): 488, photo; British Birds 93: plate 213; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 487; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 95: 508).

12). 2009 Isles of Scilly Porth Askin, St Agnes, first-summer male, 2nd to 3rd June, photo.

(Birding World 22 (6): 227, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 103: 620, plate 342; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 615, corr.).

13). 2015 Hampshire Acres Down, New Forest, 2CY+ male, 13th June, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 618, plate 341; Hampshire Bird Report 2015: photo).