Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)

The Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) is a slender and lively songbird, approximately the size of a sparrow, measuring between 14 and 16 centimetres. It is easiest to recognise by its characteristic behaviour, as it tirelessly runs and hops on the ground, often bowing deeply and wagging its tail at every stop. The male in breeding plumage is extremely conspicuous, with a grey-blue back, light cream breast and a distinctive black eye mask that runs from the beak across the eyes. Females and juveniles are coloured more inconspicuously in brownish and sandy tones. All representatives of this species are characterised by a white lower back or rump with a tail in the shape of an inverted black T, which is particularly visible when the bird takes flight.
This bird is a typical inhabitant of open, sunny and dry landscapes. In Slovenia, mountaineers most often encounter it in the high mountains of the Alps above the tree line, on karst plateaus such as Nanos and Snežnik, and on dry mountain meadows. It is a migratory bird and a true world traveller, as it winters in tropical Africa south of the Sahara. It returns to our region and thus to the mountains in April, and we can observe it until September or the beginning of October, when it sets off again on its long journey south.
The Northern Wheatear got its Slovenian name from its habit of preferring to perch on exposed points, especially on the tops of stone cairns, rocks, boulders or mountain fences. From there it watches for its prey, which consists of insects. When hikers approach the bird, it usually flies only a few metres forward to the next rock, shows us its characteristic white tail and then faithfully accompanies us in hops along the mountain path.