The Isabelline Wheatear has a sleek, elongated body, a pointed beak, and a long, narrow tail. Its plumage is mostly a sandy or pale greyish-brown, giving it a natural, muted look. The upper part of its body, including its wings and back, is covered in this earthy tone.
One of its distinctive features is the contrast between its pale or whitish throat and belly and the darker upper parts of its body. It also has a blackish patch around its eyes, which enhances its unique appearance.
Scientifically named Oenanthe isabellina, the Isabelline Wheatear is a small migratory bird that inhabits the dry and semi-dry regions of Asia, Europe, and Africa. Its sandy-brown plumage and white rump patch make it easy to identify.
The Isabelline Wheatear’s diet mainly consists of insects and small invertebrates. It typically perches on rocks or low vegetation to spot prey, then swoops down to capture it. Besides insects, it eats spiders, worms, and occasionally small reptiles or seeds, which allows it to thrive in a range of habitats like deserts, steppes, and rocky terrain.
This bird was photographed at Yenkathala, a village in Mominpet Mandal in Rangareddi District of Telangana State, India. In the early migration, this bird was first photographed at Yenkathala, by Shiva Kumar and Abdul Raheem.
These rare photographs have been contributed by K. Shiva Kumar, a professional Wildlife Storyteller (M.A in Journalism & Mass Communication, an alumnus of Central University Of Odisha, Koraput) from Hyderabad, Telangana.
Special thanks to the CIS-A2K and Wiki Loves Birds & Wikipedia Team.
