- Oenanthe hispanica
Identification
Males of the eastern race (as seen in Cyprus, for example) are much paler above than the western form seen above. They can look almost black and white in strong sunlight, with just a pale sandy brown colouration. Also, males of both the eastern and western forms come in two colour morphs - pale throated and black throated. The black throated form is said to be commoner in the eastern subspecies and the white-throated in the western subspecies.
Identification of younger birds of this species versus Pied Wheatear is discussed in a [thread] in the Identification forum.
Distribution and Taxonomy
The "western" subspecies hispanica is found from southern Europe and northern Africa to Senegal and Mali. "Eastern Black-eared Wheatear" (subspecies melanoleuca) is found in south-east Europe to Iran and the Caspian Sea, migrating to northern Africa
It seems that the two forms of Black-eared Wheatear has been proposed for splitting, but none of the current (as of 2007) world-wide checklists recognize such a split.
