Unusual 'Yellow' Wagtail, Matzu Islands, Taiwan, April 2024 (1 Viewer)

[SteveMM]

This odd-looking wagtail is being treated by some as a Western Yellow Wagtail, the thinking presumably being that it is an intraspecific hybrid with ssp. feldegg and some other form. The call, though, excludes feldegg, but is an excellent match for Citrine Wagtail. The broad white fringes to the greater coverts and tertials are indeed striking in the field.

Any thoughts as to the parent species/forms? Thanks in advance...

 

[Andy Adcock]

beema x feldegg?

 

[jogresh]

Wow striking bird! Feldegg x leucocephala?.. They may meet in the NE part of feldegg and the western part of White-Headed.. 🤔🤷

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

Wow striking bird! Feldegg x leucocephala?.. They may meet in the NE part of feldegg and the western part of White-Headed.. 🤔🤷

Except that, according to Alstrom & Mild (2003), leucocephala appears to be isolated from any western taxa. It has though been found breeding within the range of macronyx in northern Mongolia and there may be limited contact with tschutschensis in northwest Mongolia. Further, this would not explain the Citrine-like sonogram.

Grahame

 

[SteveMM]

Thanks for the replies.

Of the Western Yellow Wagtail taxa, ssp. beema does look like the most plausible second parent (assuming feldegg to be the first) as it has a similar distribution of white (supercilium, cheeks, throat (rather, chin)) about the head. However, this is nowhere near as extensive as in this bird, and the call (attached) is not a good match for beema either.

Although the colours differ somewhat, I think the head pattern of this bird looks more like these individuals: ML466359871 - Western Yellow x Citrine Wagtail (hybrid) - Macaulay Library; ML425180211 - Western Yellow x Citrine Wagtail (hybrid) - Macaulay Library, identified as hybrids with Citrine Wagtail.

I would very much like this bird to be a Western Yellow Wagtail, as this would make a nice addition to my Taiwan list! However, I just don't think it is one, and think that Citrine is involved here somewhere.