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Difference between revisions of "Grey Wagtail" - BirdForum Opus

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(Picture of subspecies)
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[[Image:Grey_Wagtail.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Summer male<br />Photo by {{user|Gabriel+Rasson|Gabriel Rasson}}<br />Liege, [[Belgium]], March 2004]]
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[[Image:Grey_Wagtail.jpg|thumb|550px|right|''M. c. cinerea'', summer male<br />Photo by {{user|Gabriel+Rasson|Gabriel Rasson}}<br />Liege, [[Belgium]], March 2004]]
 
;[[:Category:Motacilla|Motacilla]] cinerea
 
;[[:Category:Motacilla|Motacilla]] cinerea
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
−
[[Image:Motacilla cinerea first winter.jpg|thumb|350px|right|First-winter<br />Photo by {{user|Nutcracker|Nutcracker}}<br />[[Northumberland]], [[UK]], January 2014]]
+
[[Image:Motacilla cinerea first winter.jpg|thumb|350px|right|''M. c. cinerea'', first-winter<br />Photo by {{user|Nutcracker|Nutcracker}}<br />[[Northumberland]], [[UK]], January 2014]]
 
Length 17-20 cm (6¾-7¾ in), weight 14-22 g
 
Length 17-20 cm (6¾-7¾ in), weight 14-22 g
 
*A long-tailed wagtail, blue-grey above, mainly yellow below
 
*A long-tailed wagtail, blue-grey above, mainly yellow below
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*Tail black with white edges, wagged up-and-down nearly constantly
 
*Tail black with white edges, wagged up-and-down nearly constantly
 
*Black bill (base of bill paler in young birds), dark pink legs
 
*Black bill (base of bill paler in young birds), dark pink legs
−
*'''Male''' has black throat in spring and summer; '''female''', winter male and juvenile have a whitish-buff throat, though some (mainly older?) females can develop a mottled black throat
+
*Male has black throat in spring and summer; some (mainly older?) females can develop a mottled black throat
 +
*Female, winter male and juvenile have a white to whitish-buff throat and underparts whiter, less intense yellow
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
−
[[Image:MG 8112.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|paul2610|paul2610}}<br />Elgin, [[Scotland]]]]
+
[[Image:MG 8112.JPG|thumb|350px|right|''M. c. cinerea'' in flight<br />Photo by {{user|paul2610|paul2610}}<br />Elgin, [[Scotland]]]]
 
Breeds from [[Europe]], northwest [[Africa]], and most of [[Asia]] east to Kamchatka, though absent from northeast Europe and northwest Asia between [[Sweden]] (where a recent colonist) and the Urals. In western Europe mainly sedentary, elsewhere migratory, wintering south-west to [[Gambia]], south to [[Ethiopia]], [[India]] and south-east to [[New Guinea]].
 
Breeds from [[Europe]], northwest [[Africa]], and most of [[Asia]] east to Kamchatka, though absent from northeast Europe and northwest Asia between [[Sweden]] (where a recent colonist) and the Urals. In western Europe mainly sedentary, elsewhere migratory, wintering south-west to [[Gambia]], south to [[Ethiopia]], [[India]] and south-east to [[New Guinea]].
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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[[Image:grey wagtail alok.JPG|thumb|350px|right|''M. c. melanope''<br />Photo by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br />District of Nainital, Alt. 1500 m, Uttarakhand [[Himalayas]], [[India]], April 2016]]
 
[[Image:grey wagtail alok.JPG|thumb|350px|right|''M. c. melanope''<br />Photo by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br />District of Nainital, Alt. 1500 m, Uttarakhand [[Himalayas]], [[India]], April 2016]]
 
[[Image:GWT8811TEN1017.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''canariensis''<br />Photo by {{user|mikibedi|mikibedi}}<br />Los Abrigos, South [[Tenerife]], October 2017]]
 
[[Image:GWT8811TEN1017.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''canariensis''<br />Photo by {{user|mikibedi|mikibedi}}<br />Los Abrigos, South [[Tenerife]], October 2017]]
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Three to six subspecies recognized. Clements<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> and IOC<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup> accept only three:
+
Three to six subspecies are accepted. Clements<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> and IOC<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup> accept only three:
 
*''M. c. cinerea'':
 
*''M. c. cinerea'':
 
:*[[Eurasia]]; North [[Africa]], south-eastern [[Asia]], [[New Guinea]]
 
:*[[Eurasia]]; North [[Africa]], south-eastern [[Asia]], [[New Guinea]]
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Other authorities, including ''HBW''<sup>[[#References|[3]]]</sup>, split three additional subspecies from the nominate:
 
Other authorities, including ''HBW''<sup>[[#References|[3]]]</sup>, split three additional subspecies from the nominate:
−
 
 
*''M. c. melanope'':
 
*''M. c. melanope'':
 
:* Breeds northern [[Asia]] from the Ural Mountains east to the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, south to the north-west, north and eastern [[Mongolia]] and eastern [[China]]; also in mountains from Tien Shan south to eastern [[Afghanistan]] and east along the [[Himalayas]]; winters north-eastern [[Africa]] and south-eastern [[Asia]]
 
:* Breeds northern [[Asia]] from the Ural Mountains east to the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, south to the north-west, north and eastern [[Mongolia]] and eastern [[China]]; also in mountains from Tien Shan south to eastern [[Afghanistan]] and east along the [[Himalayas]]; winters north-eastern [[Africa]] and south-eastern [[Asia]]
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Hyperactive, with constantly bobbing tail.
 
Hyperactive, with constantly bobbing tail.
 
====Flight====
 
====Flight====
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Undulating flight. Often hovers when feeding in the tree canopy and over water.
+
Undulating flight. Often hovers when feeding in tree canopies and over water.
 
====Diet====
 
====Diet====
 
Aquatic and waterside invertebrates, including insects (often caught in flycatching sallies), small freshwater shrimps, and also occasionally small fish fry.
 
Aquatic and waterside invertebrates, including insects (often caught in flycatching sallies), small freshwater shrimps, and also occasionally small fish fry.

Revision as of 10:59, 30 November 2017

M. c. cinerea, summer male
Photo by Gabriel Rasson
Liege, Belgium, March 2004
Motacilla cinerea

Identification

M. c. cinerea, first-winter
Photo by Nutcracker
Northumberland, UK, January 2014

Length 17-20 cm (6¾-7¾ in), weight 14-22 g

  • A long-tailed wagtail, blue-grey above, mainly yellow below
  • Brightest yellow on the under-tail coverts
  • White supercilium and moustachial streak
  • Tail black with white edges, wagged up-and-down nearly constantly
  • Black bill (base of bill paler in young birds), dark pink legs
  • Male has black throat in spring and summer; some (mainly older?) females can develop a mottled black throat
  • Female, winter male and juvenile have a white to whitish-buff throat and underparts whiter, less intense yellow

Distribution

M. c. cinerea in flight
Photo by paul2610
Elgin, Scotland

Breeds from Europe, northwest Africa, and most of Asia east to Kamchatka, though absent from northeast Europe and northwest Asia between Sweden (where a recent colonist) and the Urals. In western Europe mainly sedentary, elsewhere migratory, wintering south-west to Gambia, south to Ethiopia, India and south-east to New Guinea.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

M. c. melanope
Photo by Alok Tewari
District of Nainital, Alt. 1500 m, Uttarakhand Himalayas, India, April 2016
Subspecies canariensis
Photo by mikibedi
Los Abrigos, South Tenerife, October 2017

Three to six subspecies are accepted. Clements[1] and IOC[2] accept only three:

  • M. c. cinerea:
  • M. c. patriciae:
  • Azores (Furnas and São Miguel)
  • M. c. schmitzi:

Other authorities, including HBW[3], split three additional subspecies from the nominate:

  • M. c. melanope:
  • Breeds northern Asia from the Ural Mountains east to the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, south to the north-west, north and eastern Mongolia and eastern China; also in mountains from Tien Shan south to eastern Afghanistan and east along the Himalayas; winters north-eastern Africa and south-eastern Asia
  • M. c. robusta:
  • M. c. canariensis:

Habitat

Breeds by fast-flowing streams in rocky upland areas; more closely tied to running water than other wagtails. In winter, a little more widespread away from water, including in city centres.

Behaviour

Hyperactive, with constantly bobbing tail.

Flight

Undulating flight. Often hovers when feeding in tree canopies and over water.

Diet

Aquatic and waterside invertebrates, including insects (often caught in flycatching sallies), small freshwater shrimps, and also occasionally small fish fry.

Breeding

The nest is built in rock crevices, often next to (or even behind) a waterfall.

Vocalisation

Call: a sharp tzt-tzt, much more incisive and harder than White Wagtail.
Song: <flashmp3>Motacilla cinerea (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2014. IOC World Bird Names (version 4.3). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
  3. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and D Christie, eds. 2004. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 9: Cotingas to Pipits and Wagtails. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334696

Recommended Citation

External Links


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