From Opus

Photo by David_H_UK
Kruger National Park, South Africa, April 2004

Motacilla aguimp

[edit] Identification

[edit] Similar Species

Its range overlaps with that of the White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) but it can be easily distinguished by the lack of grey in the adult plumage plus the very distinctive black mask through the eye.

[edit] Distribution

Widespread throughout Africa:
Northern Africa: Egypt
Western Africa: Senegambia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Angola
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, Swaziland
African Islands: Gulf of Guinea Islands

[edit] Taxonomy

There are two subspecies^[1]

• M. a. vidua:

• Sierra Leone to southern Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa

• M. a. aguimp:

• Namibia to Orange Free State, Lesotho and south-western Transvaal

[edit] Habitat

A wagtail of towns and other human settlements. It is generally found associated with water, seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, rivers, and intermittent freshwater marshes.

[edit] Behaviour

Very active birds. Will perch in trees.

[edit] External Links