Grey or yellow wagtail (1 Viewer)

[Saphire]

Is this A grey or Yellow wagtail ? I can't make my mind up.

 

[aythya_hybrid]

Grey Wagtail.

The upperparts are way too dark for yellow wag, and its tail is too long. Plus, if you saw this just recently, yellow wag is a summer visitor so you are highly unlikely to see one at the moment!

 

[Saphire]

Thanks I wasn't sure. I didn't get to see it. My hubby didn't know what it was so didn't shout me. I have never seen one. AHHH!

 

[nickderry]

this is definitely a grey. The problem is that grey wagtails are beautifully yellow, and not just plain old grey as the name suggests. As aythya points out, yellow is a summer visitor, mostly arriving at the beginning of April, whereas grey is resident.

As said, Grey has a longer tail than yellow and has a grey back (yellow has an olive coloured back)

 

[Rob Kelly]

Hi,not a Yellow but a Grey Wagtail,always a lovely bird.

Rob.

 

[Jurij Hanžel]

The legs are an ID pointer as well, Greys have fleshy-coloured legs, whereas all the other WP wagtails have black legs.

 

[Saphire]

Thanks Juri that one is a dead give away the legs where definitely pale.

 

[christineredgate]

Nice shot,Christine.We have one on our river at the moment.I spent an hour trying to take a decent shot,but the light was going,managed a shot of the Pied Wag,but would love a decent shot of the Grey.I find it confusing,as the Grey has so much yellow in its plumage,I cannot understand why it is not called a Yellow Wag.

 

[dbradnum]

I cannot understand why it is not called a Yellow Wag.

Because it would be very confusing if two different species had the same name

Cracking birds, whatever colour!