Denne sorte stenpikker er rapporteret som "Basaltstenpikker" - den sjældne og meget lidt udbredte sorte form af Klippestenpikker, der findes ved mørk basalt i S Syrien og N Jordan.
Eftersom Basaltstenpikker er dårligt kendt ville det være fint med kommentarer fra stenpikker-kyndige, for at udelukke f.eks. mørk fase af Orientstenpikker Oenanthe picata.
Fuglen danner par med Hvidrygget Stenpikker hun, og findes ved at køre ad vej 400 mellem Birezik og Sanliurfa. I Sanliurfas udkant peger et skilt med en gazelle mod syd - tag denne vej 7.5 km.
This black wheatear was reported as "Basalt Wheatear" - the poorly known and very range-restricted so-called black morph of Mourning Wheatear from black soil in S Syria and N Jordan.
As Basalt Wheatear is a poorly known form, I hope for comments from birders confidential with this form and other black wheatears from the Middle East. Could this bird be idenfifyed safely from the dark morph of Eastern Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe picata). The primaries showed pale in innerwebs, but according to the few aviable illustrations of Basalt Wheatear, the pale areas should possibly be more extensive?
The bird is paired with a female Finch´s Wheatear and present for some days. Directions: take road 400 between Birezik and Sanliurfa. in the outskris of Sanliurfa look for a brown sign with a gazelle. Turn south along dirt roas towards gazelle area and look for the wheatear 7.5 km from road 400.
The jizz is not good for lugens, which I perceive as less robust with a finer bill and proportionately larger eye.
Furthermore the primary-projection seems too short although hard to establish clearly on this photo due the wing position.
"Could this bird be identified safely from the dark morph of Eastern Pied Wheatear (O. picata)?"
I would say it definitely can, since O.picata has an altogether different stance with shorter legs positioned more to front of the body. It also has a finer bill and a slightly longer tail.
Both the 'basalt' (lugens), and the dark morph Eastern Pied (picata) are extremely unlikely to occur (breeding!) in Turkey.
The photos taken by you and E.F.H. all point to the obvious conclusion:
An abberantly coloured 'melanistic', or hitherto undescribed 'black morph' of Finsch's Wheatear (O. finschii).
Had the bird been 'leucistic' or 'diluted', I trust the id. had been pretty straightforward.
The fact that no all-black Wheatear-species occur in Turkey, probably set the pulse racing in the folks who initially found it, and by a stroke of "MEGA-fever" propelled them to write a report announcing a new species for the country!
Once more, congratulations with contributing to a brand new chapter of Wheatear identification!
Oh - wheatears, how little we know about some of them! Not meaning that Peter is incorrect and so on.
Therefore - just to mention - I wondered about this
First I was exited by Tim´s answer until I read Guy´s answer. Pitty indeed!
Following the discussions, on not at least Eva Foss Henriksen photoes, showing size and jizz identical the the female Finch´s, I have changed the name - which do not mean that ID comments stille are welcomed
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Peter Sunesen skriver fredag 3. juni 2011 kl. 17.48 
