Pied Wheatear is a small insectivorous passerine that was formerly classed as a member of the Thrush family but is now generally considered to be one of the Old World flycatchers. It is a migrant from central Asia where it occurs from the extreme south east of Europe to China and is known to winter in India and north east Africa. They are a widespread summer visitor to much of south eastern Europe, which accounts for less than a quarter of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is relatively small at less than 300,000 individuals, but was relatively stable between 1970 and 1990. The species remained fairly constant between 1990 and 2000, with all populations across the European range either stable or increasing.
