Western Yellow Wagtail from northe east of France (2 Viewers)

[L'argonnais]

Hello,
last week end I saw a group of birds ; in France, North East , 60 km north from Der lake "Lac du der".
When I saw them, I found something strange ; I remember approximately the caracteristics of Western Yellow Wagtail ; and it was not exactly what I had in mind .
ssp , but which one ???
ssp thunbergi or ssp feldegg I guess ??
I have only this picture of that bird.
JR

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello JR,

greyish nape (enhanced by backlit situation surely?) makes this a thunbergi for me.
Feldegg should show a pure black nape, well demarcated from the deep mossygreen back.
(despite some appearantly streaks to the breast?)

There is an excellent paper about this by Christian Wegst, but not avaliable online
"Grey-headed Yellow Wagtails Motacilla flava thunbergi with black heads reminiscent of M. f. feldegg" in an older Limicola (Band 16, Jahrgang 2002, Heft 5)

 

[L'argonnais]

Hello Alexander,
thanks for that identification.
As said , there were a few more Western Yellow Wagtail + other species (behind a tractor in a cultivated field )
of course, everyting is possible ; the 3/4 other, there are also probably thunbergi ?? or it is quiet usual to see one individual of a ssp with common Western Yellow Wagtail?
JR

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello again,

yes different ssp mix, and rarer ssp. regular (at least) join other Yellow Wagtails on migration/stop over sites. Especially when rich food supply is available like it was at your observation.

 

[lou salomon]

dark smudging to breast is a thunbergi trait (that's what this bird definitely looks like). note however, that hybrids flava x feldegg in Eastern Europe can look virtually identical to thunbergi, albeit without the dark smudging and a with a raspier call.