Northern wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) are found everywhere in Finland where there are treeless, rocky areas, from archipelagos to the fells. In Helsinki, northern wheatears are commonly found in rocky shore areas, and they also nest in the most inhospitable waste lands and construction sites. The northern wheatear makes its nest in deep rock crevices.

The northern wheatear used to be common in the Finnish countryside, but due to the overgrowth of traditional landscapes it has all but disappeared from Finland’s rural areas. The northern wheatear needs more open space than the white wagtail, which is also commonly found in shore areas.

A northern wheatear on a rock by the shore, photo Eero Haapanen.

Photo Jussi Helimäki.