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Pied or White (1 Viewer)

HnehpetS

HnehpetS

Wannabe Birder
I'm just a humble past birder. I've always been confused by the Pied/White Wagtail question. I've presumed that all black and white wagtails were Pied, ever since I was a nipper, when somebody first pointed one out. Now I took the attached picture and was going to title it as a Pied Wagtail, but thought I'd check my Collins which suggests to me that in fact instead of Pied it's a White so called it that. A friend has questioned this. The diagnostic in my Collins says that a Pied should have a glossy black back. this has a grey back.
I'd welcome any views and some sort of it's a "......". Thanks
Stephen.
 

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pied can have a grey back (scapulars and mantle) but almost (?) has a blackish rump. i think i can spot a bery dark rump indicating it is a pied (which would be the expectable ssp.)
 
Thanks for your input Lou.
A couple more pictures.

6507 is the same bird
3994 is a different bird, about the same time the year before, same location
 

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The black mantle is diagnostic for a Pied, when it has one, but this doesn't mean that all Pied have black mantles. Female Pied, particularly 1st summers, can have grey mantles.

Personally I can't the rump on either photo but think that it is a Pied because the grey mantle seems too dark in the photos. Also the grey on the flanks seems quite dark and too extensive for a White Wagtail.
 
That Hunstanton bird looks pretty awesome - great photo too!

Now, while I understand you don't believe my bird is a white wagtail, I thought I'd have a quick shufti through the Gallery to see if I could identify for myself the differences between Pied and White, but from what I can see nearly all the birds identified as White, particularly photographed in Britain, are in fact Pied. Therefore, could somebody please provide me a link to a Gallery picture of a 'banged to rights' White Wagtail so I can see for myself what the diagnostic differences are. thanks for your help.
 
 
 
Jan-Paul Charteris said:
The colour ringed one has to be a Pied? fair enough heavy contrast could make the back look dark but those flanks couldn't be much duskier
Click to expand...

No doubt about it being a white. On route to Iceland via Ireland's west coast. Ringer is some fella called Dennis Elphick, you've probably heard of him ;) 2010 was a bumper year for us for White Wagtail, northerly winds held them up for weeks.

All the best.
 
Thanks very much for taking the time to provide this information. I can't say I'm particularly convinced that I could identify the difference in the field, as there seems to be so much overlap between individuals. I think I'll continue to use my old principle - where I live, if it's black and white it's a Pied.

Cheers.
 
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