About Oenanthe hispanica (Linnaeus, 1758)
The breeding male Oenanthe hispanica has a white or nearly white forehead and crown, a buff mantle, and wings that are blacker than those of the northern wheatear. Its underparts are white with a buff tinge, while its back, upper tail coverts, and most of the tail are white. A black mask stretches from the ear coverts to the bill, and its throat can be either black or white. In autumn and winter, the head and mantle are distinctly buff, and this buff coloring also appears on the underparts, including the throat of individuals that do not have black throats. The intensity of this buff coloring varies between individuals. Except for the central pair of tail feathers, all tail feathers are much whiter than those of the northern wheatear, with white on the inner web often extending all the way to the feather tip. Female Oenanthe hispanica are overall browner than males, but they share the species-characteristic white lower back, and their seasonal plumage changes are less marked. Male Oenanthe hispanica, also known as male western black-eared wheatear, can be distinguished from male eastern black-eared wheatear by their more buff-tinged upperparts. This gives western black-eared wheatear males a less distinctly black-and-white appearance than eastern black-eared wheatear males. Additionally, the black mask of western males stops at the base of the bill, rather than extending slightly above it. Black-throated western black-eared wheatear have less black on the throat and face than black-throated eastern birds, and their black coloring generally ends less abruptly. Female western black-eared wheatear differ from female eastern black-eared wheatear by being warmer brown overall.
