Possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Spain this evening (1 Viewer)

[timsg80]

I found this wagtail amid a White Wagtail roost in Mallorca this evening. My immediate thought was winter Western Yellow Wagtail, but it seems to be extremely grey for one. Is it a young winter plumage Western Yellow or something else?

Thanks!

Gregor

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Gregor,
I agree wih you, its a Yellow Wagtail. Please note against White Wagtail:

• white breast, lacking any pattern/dark smudge
• uniform dark ear-coverts
• eye stripe doesnt encircle the ear-coverts
• wing-bar on creater coverts, in White Wagtail black centered with white margins of variable wide

Its an interesting bird with a white belly, seemingly lacking any yellow or cream hue/tinge, and grey upperparts lacking any olive or brownish/buffish hue. Any more pictures showing the hind-claw or a recording of the call?

 

[Steve Lister]

There is a chance it could be an Eastern Yellow Wagtail which is considered a separate species and first-winters look very much like this. The calls of Western and Eastern are normally quite different - I don't suppose you heard this bird call did you?

 

[timsg80]

Thanks Alexander and Steve,

Eastern Yellow Wagtail did cross my mind, especially after looking at pictures of first winters on the internet just now! I couldn't hear it call sadly, it was with about 300 White Wagtails and the noise all blurred into one!

 

[Rotherbirder]

It looked to be a stunning bird, whichever ssp. it was.

RB

 

[timsg80]

It looked to be a stunning bird, whichever ssp. it was.

RB

It certainly was! Some local birders are visiting the site with sound recording equipment tonight, so fingers crossed we may get an answer!