Hybrid Pied x Eastern Black-eared Wheatear

[DLVelasco]

Hi,
Just wanted to share with everyone a picture of a very interesting bird, a presumed hybrid male Pied x E. Black-eared Wheatear seen on a birding trip to Romania a few summers ago. This male was at the same area where a couple of pure pairs of Pied and Eastern Black-eared Wheatears were breeding. It could certainly recall Finsch´s Wheatear if, amongst other things, the pattern of the back wasn´t seen well.
Dani

[BirdingRob]

Dear Dani,

You probably already know that this hybridisation is quite well known and common in Azerbaijan where the two wheatears' breeding ranges overlap.

I have a thick book called "Birds of Azerbaijan" which is really a scientific tome bringing together mostly soviet observations in that country. There is quiet a good section on this hybridisation.

Birding Rob

[stanwick]

Hi Dani, I seem to remember a few years back that these hybrids were regularly seen in Bulgaria and for a short time were thought to be Finschs.
Steve

[Brian S]

Hi Daniel

Poss hybrid here, also http://www.hawar-islands.com/blog/14_stub.php/2007/03/ - scroll down half way to wk 11

Brian S