Variable Wheatear
Photo: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0

Chats, Old World Flycatchers, and Allies

Variable Wheatear

Oenanthe picata

LCLeast Concern
Family
Chats, Old World Flycatchers, and Allies (Muscicapidae)
Order
Passeriformes

Overview

The variable wheatear (Oenanthe picata) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan.
Its natural habitat is hot deserts.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Breeds eastern Iran eastward to western Tien Shan, Pamirs, northern and western Pakistan, and Kashmir; winters to southeastern Arabian Peninsula and southwestern Asia.

Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.