Northern wheatear vs Variable wheatear
The northern wheatear is heavier: 25.4 g against 21.6 g for the variable wheatear, about 18% more.
Photo: Andreas Trepte · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Dr. Raju Kasambe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
What is the difference between a northern wheatear and a variable wheatear?
Each point below is worked out from a pair of recorded values.
- The northern wheatear is heavier: 25.4 g against 21.6 g for the variable wheatear, about 18% more.
- Both belong to the genus Oenanthe, so they are close relatives.
- Both are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Side by side
| Northern wheatear | Variable wheatear | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Oenanthe oenanthe | Oenanthe picata |
| Family | Muscicapidae | Muscicapidae |
| Order | Passeriformes | Passeriformes |
| Weight | 23.1 g – 25.4 g | 20.5 g – 23 g |
| Length | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | 9.6 years | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Habitat | grassland | desert |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Countries recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
A scale drawing needs a recorded length for both animals; only weights are on record for this pair.
Full record: Northern wheatearFull record: Variable wheatearCompare other animals