The wheatear is a long-distance migrant that returns to UK uplands and coastal grasslands in March. Its white rump flashing in flight is one of the first signs of spring in northern and western Britain.
Wheatear welfare challenges during migration include the extraordinary distance of the trans-Saharan crossing — birds fuelling up at Mediterranean coastal stopover sites before a non-stop flight. Climate change is affecting timing of arrival at breeding sites and synchrony with invertebrate food availability. On breeding grounds, loss of short-grazed turf with abundant invertebrates reduces foraging efficiency. Traditional upland management — moderate sheep grazing maintaining diverse grassland structure — supports better wheatear food availability than either overgrazed or ungrazed ground.