The Black-eared Wheatear breeds in southern Europe and north-west Africa and extending into the Middle East, Iran and Kazakhstan. In winter it migrates to the African Sahel. See the distribution map at Birdlife International. It is found in stony, scrubby slopes where it feeds in invertebrates, berries and seeds. Some authorities split the species into Western Black-eared Wheatear O. hispanica, shown here, and Eastern Black-eared Wheatear O. melanoleuca.

The song is a scratchy jumble of whistles.