I'd suggest that the head pattern fits Yellow Wagtail sp better. Not easy to be sure from these shots, but ear coverts look dark, and not isolated. A couple of images of juv Eastern Yellow Wagtail in oriental bird images show pretty striking wing bars. Like to hear more opinions on this bird.
Pure white undertail and longish tail also good for Citrine against Western Yellow, I didn't consider Eastern Yellow... are there records in Arabia ?
Pale pinkish lower mandible not good for Citrine Wagtail :smoke:
I checked online, it seems that feature given by Collins is wrong : there are many 1cy Citrine with pale lower mandible, may be even more than Easter Yellow, many having all black bill.
OP bird is similar to this one for example.
https://www.worldbirdphotos.com/wp-...ne-juv-2-Ranthambhore-India-Oct06-D100A_1.jpg
Yes, you can find many of them !
http://orientalbirdimages.org/images/data/citrine_wagtail__motacilla_citreola_.jpg
https://i2.wp.com/birdingfrontiers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Citrine-Wagtail-AA-d.jpg
http://www.oiseaux.net/photos/singhal.sunil/images/bergeronnette.citrine.sisu.5g.jpg
I think we can finally agree on Citrine ?
Thanks for the additional links. Whilst I'm not disagreeing, I'm also not agreeing just yet, on the strength of these images.
Although there are certainly some pro-Citrine features, there are also a number of anomalous features too, which don't fit my expectation of typical Citrine. Of course that doesn't mean it's not an atypical Citrine, but I'd like to see some further input from others...and perhaps some more images...?
To summarise, the face pattern reminds me more of Yellow, the wing-bars-while quite bold, are fairly narrow, and most of the lower mandible appears pale pinkish, contrasting with an entirely dark upper mandible. Another worry is the very bold moustachial stripe. On their own any one of these features might be ok, but in combination, well I'm just not sure...?
Doesn't quite fall into same category but there was this in France last year - I post it because in the thread is a link to birding frontiers and another 'pale' yellow wagtail...
https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=350801&highlight=wagtail
The discussion might be of relevant. Two wing bars and white under tail no face pattern etc...
Don't Citrine always show a pale "ear surround?"
Which this bird doesn't display in the original images. I'd expect to see a full wrap around of joining the supercillium and sub moustachial.Don't Citrine always show a pale "ear surround?"