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Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Description:

The Yellow Wagtail, Motacilla flava, is a small passerine in the wagtail family Motacillidae, which also includes the pipits and longclaws. Vagrant individuals occur around the winter quarters at migration time. For example, on Palau in Micronesia migrant flocks of this species – apparently of the Bering Sea Yellow Wagtail, and including many adult males – are regularly seen, while further north on the Marianas, only the occasional stray individual – usually females or immatures as it seems – is encountered. It is a slender 15–16 cm long bird, with the characteristic long, constantly wagging tail of its genus. It is the shortest tailed of the European wagtails. The breeding adult male is basically olive above and yellow below. In other plumages, the yellow may be diluted by white. The heads of breeding males come in a variety of colours and patterns depending on subspecies.

Habitat:

This species breeds in much of temperate Europe and Asia and has a foothold in North America in Alaska. It is resident in the milder parts of its range, such as western Europe, but northern and eastern populations migrate to Africa and south Asia. The Beringian population winters further down the Pacific coast.

Notes:

Camera: Nikon D300

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1 Comment

Sachin Zaveri
Sachin Zaveri 12 years ago

Beautiful Shot, Yazeed Alsahli
and having nice collection,

Yazeed Alsahli
Spotted by
Yazeed Alsahli

Saudi Arabia

Spotted on Apr 4, 2012
Submitted on Mar 19, 2012

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Reference

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