 |
|
Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Pied Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Motacilla alba yarrellii
Gaelic: Brec-an-sil
Photograph © Debbie Bozkurt
Ness - Isle of Lewis - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
April 2007
Our wagtail photographs:
- Pied Wagtail
- Motacilla alba yarrellii
- UK summer 293,000 pairs BTO
- Migrant or Resident Breeder, Passage Visitor
- Distribution: Europe, Asia, North West Africa. Breeds in temparate parts of it's range (UK Leaves highland & northern areas of Scotland, WI in winter) elsewise migrates to Africa
- Most habitats, including town centres. Prefers bare areas where it can see its prey. Often in open country near water, beaches, car parks. Also flycatches in air. Nests in crevices in stone walls & similar places.
- Small and sprightly. Long-tailed. Black & white bird. Stands wagging tail up & down or dashes about seeking food. Undulating flight.
- Typical lifespan: 2 years
- Listen to a pied wagtail (RSPB site)
There are two races of White Wagtail in Europe, the ones we are most familiar with in the Western Isles are the Pied Wagtails which have dark backs.
In the mainland Europe species, the back is grey and the black nape and black bib do not meet at the side of the neck. We get Spring and Autumn passages of this species, and they may have bred.
Iain Livingston wrote a guide is to help ringers separate Pied Wagtails (M.a.yarrellii) from White Wagtails (M.a.alba).
"We were catching good numbers of Pied Wagtails.. and were using Svensson, to age and sex the birds, when the penny suddenly dropped! The pale, grey crowned first winter birds were not funny looking female Pieds but were White Wagtails ...
The guide is available as a PDF document here and is well illustrated with photographs.
Debbie's online photo album
Home • Contact Webmaster • Advertising
Copyright © 2006 Western Isles Netspace. User Agreement and Privacy policy