Scientific name: Oenanthe pleschanka (Lepechin, 1770)
Bird group: Thrushes and allies
Field characters. 14.5 cm. Closely related to Black-eared Wheatear. Male has black face, and black back and wings; throat often black also. Crown grey or white, underparts white, but sometimes yellow in spring. Tail pattern similar to that of Black-eared Wheatear. Female very hard to distinguish from female Black-eared Wheatear; in spring wholly more earth-brown to grey, less sandy brown and often has a dark-mottled throat. More freely settles on twigs than other wheatears, except Black-eared. Population from Cyprus is considered a separate species, Cyprus Pied Wheatear O. cypriaca. Males and females are identical and differ from Pied Wheatear especially by song.
Voice. Call 'chack'. Song like Black-eared Wheatear, but with more repeated strophes.
Distribution. Common but local summer visitor.
Habitat. Rocky cliffs and slopes near Black Sea coast; steppe with scattered bushes elsewhere.
Food. Invertebrates, which are caught on ground from elevated perch.