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On fall weekends in the northeast, birders sometimes hope (but never expect) to find a Wheatear. This small chat enters the North American arctic from both directions, via both Greenland and Alaska, but almost all go back to the Old World in winter; only the occasional straggler appears south of Canada. Northern Wheatears can be found in summer on rocky tundra, where they are inconspicuous until they fly, flashing their tail pattern. In the Old World there are almost 20 species of wheatears, most of them in desert regions.

A prize find for birders who visit northwestern Alaska is this elusive little chat. Bluethroats usually skulk in low dense shrubbery, but sometimes a male will perch up conspicuously to sing, or even sing in brief flights above the thickets. The song is quite variable, often including imitations of other birds. The colorful throat patch of males is prominently shown off in aggressive encounters between rivals, as well as in courtship.

A rare but regular migrant on the islands of western Alaska, apparently more frequent in spring than in fall. Also has reached the Alaska mainland, and there is one winter record for Ontario. Usually stays close to the ground. Active and elusive, often hiding in dense cover.