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white wagtail, singapore (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter wuwu1277
- Start date
johnallcock
Well-known member
Yes, it is a White Wagtail.
Do you have any more photos? I think it should be subspecies ocularis, but there are some aspects (the amount of white in the greater coverts and the shape of the eyestripe) that look like lugens. Photos showing the rump pattern would be especially useful.
Do you have any more photos? I think it should be subspecies ocularis, but there are some aspects (the amount of white in the greater coverts and the shape of the eyestripe) that look like lugens. Photos showing the rump pattern would be especially useful.
Grahame Walbridge
Well-known member
'Black-backed' Wagtail (ssp. lugens) is on the Singapore List see https://singaporebirdgroup.wordpress.com/2016/01/02/lugens-white-wagtail-in-singapore/ and see here https://singaporebirds.com/species/white-wagtail/
Suggest you try and dig out more images wuwu.
Grahame
viator
Well-known member
Yes ocularis does occur in Singapore and there have been several here over the winter.
Wuwu Not sure why you can't find White Wagtail on eBird for Singapore. The last report (also ssp ocularis) was on 15th Feb @ Neo Tiew Harvest Lane. I assume your photo is also from the raised area at NTHL as well!
Wuwu Not sure why you can't find White Wagtail on eBird for Singapore. The last report (also ssp ocularis) was on 15th Feb @ Neo Tiew Harvest Lane. I assume your photo is also from the raised area at NTHL as well!
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johnallcock
Well-known member
Thanks for posting the extra pictures.
I would say that this is from the subspecies lugens, based on:
- Mantle rather darkish grey, darker than typical for ocularis, with some area mottled blackish
- Eyestripe noticeably broader behind the eye than in front
- Greater coverts almost pure white. While ocularis can show fairly extensive white here, this bird seems extreme. I'm not entirely sure on the age of this bird, but it seems that the inner GC is blacker, suggesting that it may be a first winter. I don't think first winter ocularis would ever be this white in the wing.
- Lesser coverts are difficult to see, but look like they may be blackish.
- Rump is not clearly visible on this pictures. It looks dark (supporting lugens), but it's hard to be sure if that is just shadow.
I'm not sure of the current status of lugens in Singapore, but one of the links that Grahame shared mentions a bird in 2015 being the first record for 22 years, so it seems that it may be a real rarity. It's quite a northerly taxon and even in Hong Kong is uncommon (although probably often overlooked as ocularis). If possible, it may be worth trying to relocate the bird to get more photos, to help confirm the ID.
I would say that this is from the subspecies lugens, based on:
- Mantle rather darkish grey, darker than typical for ocularis, with some area mottled blackish
- Eyestripe noticeably broader behind the eye than in front
- Greater coverts almost pure white. While ocularis can show fairly extensive white here, this bird seems extreme. I'm not entirely sure on the age of this bird, but it seems that the inner GC is blacker, suggesting that it may be a first winter. I don't think first winter ocularis would ever be this white in the wing.
- Lesser coverts are difficult to see, but look like they may be blackish.
- Rump is not clearly visible on this pictures. It looks dark (supporting lugens), but it's hard to be sure if that is just shadow.
I'm not sure of the current status of lugens in Singapore, but one of the links that Grahame shared mentions a bird in 2015 being the first record for 22 years, so it seems that it may be a real rarity. It's quite a northerly taxon and even in Hong Kong is uncommon (although probably often overlooked as ocularis). If possible, it may be worth trying to relocate the bird to get more photos, to help confirm the ID.
johnallcock
Well-known member
Incidentally, this webpage (http://singaporebirds.blogspot.com/2012/07/wagtails-pipits.html) contains two photos (by Con Foley on 27 Nov 05) labelled as first winter leucopsis that I think may actually be baicalensis (or perhaps even alba/dukhunensis - I'm not sure how to separate these in non-breeding plumage).
- Grey on mantle paler than leucopsis and extending onto rump. No black on rump or uppertail coverts.
- Black on throat sides more extensive than on leucopsis
- White in median and greater coverts less extensive than on leucopsis
- At least the second photo seems to have a grey wash on the flanks that would be unusual on leucopsis
This and other websites don'e mention baicalensis as occurring in Singapore, so this could be a significant sighting and worth further investigation.
- Grey on mantle paler than leucopsis and extending onto rump. No black on rump or uppertail coverts.
- Black on throat sides more extensive than on leucopsis
- White in median and greater coverts less extensive than on leucopsis
- At least the second photo seems to have a grey wash on the flanks that would be unusual on leucopsis
This and other websites don'e mention baicalensis as occurring in Singapore, so this could be a significant sighting and worth further investigation.
White wagtail, Singapore
Hi, Viator: I tried again to submit a new checklist to register White Wagtail at eBird. Screenshot 1 shows no White Wagtail in the list; and Screenshot 2 shows I added White Wagtail as a REAR species...Very strange, maybe I use the checklist wrongly? Pls advise, thanks a lot in advance
Hi, Viator: I tried again to submit a new checklist to register White Wagtail at eBird. Screenshot 1 shows no White Wagtail in the list; and Screenshot 2 shows I added White Wagtail as a REAR species...Very strange, maybe I use the checklist wrongly? Pls advise, thanks a lot in advance
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viator
Well-known member
The first screenshot is showing default expected species i.e. doesn't include most rarities or any vagrants, if you click add species then as per your second shot after adding White Wagtail it's saying it's rare and you need to explain your id. This is the way it's supposed to work i.e. White Wagtail is indeed a rare bird (irrespective of sub-species) in SG.
viator
Well-known member
John,
There have been more than usual White Wagtails in Singapore this year - and in fact a lot of surprises all round!
There was some discussion about a possible lugens earlier this month which may have even been this same bird given the location. There has also been a possible alba or baicalensis that was photographed this month
Of all things an African Pied Wagtail has turned up on an offshore island today - presumably ship assisted!
There have been more than usual White Wagtails in Singapore this year - and in fact a lot of surprises all round!
There was some discussion about a possible lugens earlier this month which may have even been this same bird given the location. There has also been a possible alba or baicalensis that was photographed this month
Of all things an African Pied Wagtail has turned up on an offshore island today - presumably ship assisted!
Hi, Viator: Noted with much thanks. I managed to talk to the birder who registered white wagtail on 15 Feb, he did in the same way. Now, I know white wagtail is rare in Singapore. Thanks much:t:
johnallcock
Well-known member
This is interesting. I have the impression that the numbers of ocularis have been down in HK this winter. Perhaps they moved further south than usual this year. The numbers of lugens also seem to be low (I've only seen one this winter), but that is pretty scarce here anyway.
African Pied Wagtail is a strange record. Like you say, surely ship-assisted!
Hi, John: I have read the 2 links you provided, very informative. At least, I can see the difference of these few birds. Seems that I should pursue a post-graduate degree in birding :-O:-O:-O
OkamotoKeitaSin
Active member
Assuming you're referring to the comments on the alba/baicalensis post on the Singapore Birders Facebook group? (Since I've not seen anyone else posting any lugens this season). If so, the lugens I saw were at the massive Yishun roost, not Neo Tiew Harvest Lane.
I haven't really gotten the impression that the number of White Wagtails this season is higher than usual - there were quite a lot of them at the roost when it was first discovered 2 years ago too. It doesn't change the fact that there indeed were a lot of surprises all round though!
But I might be wrong and am curious whether there's a way to map the density out through eBird data by ourselves (I'm sure Cornell can do some complicated modelling stuff, but not that complex) whether more birds have been pushed south this season. The number of Yellow-browed Warblers in this region right now, for one, is ridiculous.
eBird raw data can be treated in multiple ways, and mapping the density of one species in a particular area is indeed possible. Probably you'll need to do some work on R, or use an already written package
You can get an insight on how to do it here:
https://ropensci.org/blog/2018/08/07/auk/
You can get an insight on how to do it here:
https://ropensci.org/blog/2018/08/07/auk/
johnallcock
Well-known member
I thought that the number of several species on southward migration in Hong Kong last year was higher than usual, and I wonder if birds in East Asia had a good breeding season. Yellow-browed Warbler was one of the species that I thought was especially notable - at one point last autumn they were extremely common here.
Thank you for sharing this. I've been trying to learn R in recent months (I find it difficult though :-C). I may try looking at this program to see if I could use it for any analysis.
Puffins4Life
Puffins4Life
Also known as Pied Wagtail
