Black-eared Wheatear

Description:

Roughly the size of House Sparrow, but slimmer and long-tailed Wheatear. In Ethiopian subspecies (most likely O.h. melanoleuca), all observed breeding male shows warm brown crown, nape and back, with silvery reflex, and black face and throat (throat is highly variable - it can be all white in western variant). Wings are also black, but the black of the throat is not connected with the black of wings (diagnostic). Cream coloured below.

Habitat:

Here, observed many times in urban settings in mainly agro-pastoral area of Oromiya, Borena. A medium sized village, surrounded by agricultural fields and savannah.

Notes:

Previously classified in Thrush (Turdidae) family, currently in Old World Warbler (Muscicapidae) family.