Derivation
Oenanthe - Gk, a bird mentioned by Aristotle, but not identified, but associated with the wheatear: isabellina - N.L., from the color isaballine (sandy or greyish-yellow)
Widespread throughout southern Eurasia, in western Palauearctic from Greece and Turkey east to the western shores of the Caspian Sea and from southern Israel and Jordan north to Georgia and northern Kazakhstan, and east of Urals, in southern Siberia, east to the upper reaches of Amur River and from about 55 degrees north, south through Mongolia and northern China, north-western and south-western Pakistan, and scattered sites in Iran and possibly western Saudi Arabia.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
BirdLife International Species Factsheet