Yellow Wagtail, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Feb 2020 (1 Viewer)

[Seth Miller]

Yellow wagtails here are a mess. It's just been discovered in the last few months that we actually have both eastern and western in Bangladesh. First an Indian birder found many eastern yellow down in Chittagong area (south east) then there were a few found in Rajshahi (north west). Then I went back and looked through my old photos of presumed western yellow and discovered that one large flock was actually eastern.
Now finding it really confusing when I see yellow wagtails. Here's a photo I got this morning. I'm thinking eastern because of fairly dark ear coverts and greenish wash to the back, but finding these really confusing. It didn't call unfortunately.

 

[BobbitWorm45]

I'm wondering if this could be Eastern YW, subspecies taivana? Green-headed Wagtail. Overwinter in Myanmar but that's not too distant from where you are?

 

[Jean FRANCOIS]

Western Yellow Wagtail thunbergi for me
Jean

 

[johnallcock]

Definitely not taivana, which has a broad supercilium in all plumages, usually with at least some yellow by February.

I'd say it's either Western thunbergi or Eastern macronyx, which are very similar. Judging by the narrow wing bars and green on the head, perhaps thunbergi for this bird?

 

[Andy Adcock]

Definitely not taivana, which has a broad supercilium in all plumages, usually with at least some yellow by February.

I'd say it's either Western thunbergi or Eastern macronyx, which are very similar. Judging by the narrow wing bars and green on the head, perhaps thunbergi for this bird?

I see thunbergi on a daily basis in Russia, but not with green heads?

This bird appears to be showing a lot of grey on the back, also at odds with thunbergi?

 

[Seth Miller]

Thanks for the feedback everyone!
I'm hoping to get some photos once they're in breeding plumage as well which should make it somewhat easier.

Here are two google photo albums from of other yellow wagtails from the same location. One was last year and one was in January of this year. A good Indian birder confirmed that most of them were Eastern, but wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts as well.
March 2019: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Qe3eTj7XjCRccgZB7
January 2020: https://photos.app.goo.gl/u1n7dbXyNjLUNn7n6

*the album from January is my brothers photo since my camera is having problems. Posted with his permission...