This might be the first recording of Buff-breasted Wheatear in full song. My previous recordings have been of calls and sub-song. Time of year appears critical for singing males.

Song of Rusty-breasted Wheatear was used to induce vocalization. The presumed male issued this call several times before flying off.

After making two recordings of this male singing, I used the playback for the nominate race of Red-breasted Wheatear to which the male immediately responded. He flew back to his perch on a power line above me, called several times, issued a few more snippets of song, and then joined the female in a nearby farm field.

This might be the first recording of Buff-breasted Wheatear in full song. My previous recordings have been of calls and sub-song. Time of year appears critical for singing males.

No audio recordings of this taxon from southwestern Arabia existed so I used a recording of Rusty-breasted Wheatear (O. frenata) from Ethiopia to try and induce counter singing by Buff-breasted (O. bottae) in Saudi Arabia. The male making an agitated buzzy sound towards the female, crouching low over the ground at the same time.

No audio recordings of this taxon from southwestern Arabia existed so I used a recording of Rusty-breasted Wheatear (O. frenata) from Ethiopia to try and induce counter singing by Buff-breasted (O. bottae) in Saudi Arabia. It took time but eventually the male Buff-breasted flew from the ground up onto a nearby power line and repeated a short phrase three times before flying to the ground again and making an agitated buzzy sound towards the female, crouching low over the ground at the same time. The recording was split and shortened to cut out playback and time between responses.

No audio recordings of this taxon from southwestern Arabia existed so I used a recording of Rusty-breasted Wheatear (O. frenata) from Ethiopia to try and induce counter singing by Buff-breasted (O. bottae) in Saudi Arabia. In this instance, one of the pair began giving an alarm call perhaps in response to the playback or to my presence nearby.

No audio recordings of this taxon from southwestern Arabia existed so I used a recording of Rusty-breasted Wheatear (O. frenata) from Ethiopia to try and induce counter singing by Buff-breasted (O. bottae) in Saudi. Here is a male Buff-breasted repeating a short phrase twice from his perch on a low berm before flying close to the female and making an agitated buzzy sound towards her, crouching low over the ground at the same time.

Alarm call from both male and female. Likely in response to our presence.

Playback of Rusty-breasted Wheatear used to induce vocalization. Adult birds in the presence of several immatures only gave this 'tsup' note from the ground.

Extended subsong likely from the male at this site.