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Citrine Wagtail
(Motacilla citreola)
Size: 15.5-17 cm; wing span 24-27 cm
Weight: 18-25 g
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Similar
species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
The plumage of Citrine
Wagtails is dimorphic,
i.e.
males and
females
are different.
Males also
have different
breeding
and eclipse
plumages.
Depending on race,
males in breeding
plumage have an almost all-yellow to all lemon-coloured head,
in some races with a dark-grey nape of the neck and possibly a
light-greyish lemon-tinged cap. Again depending on race the
entire front is bright-yellow or lemon-yellow; only the upper
legs, vent and undertail coverts are pale-yellow.
Apart from a darker-grey nape of the neck, the back, from mantle
to rump and uppertail coverts, is grey. The wing feathers are
dark-grey to black, with broad white margins, appearing as two
white wing bars.
In eclipse
males
look like
females
(see below).
Female
Citrine Wagtails (and
males in eclipse)
have a back and wings that have the same colour pattern, but
less contrast than those of
males in
breeding plumage. However, the front becomes paler and the
head is olive-grey from frons to nape of the neck, plus the ear
coverts. Only the chin and a fringe around the ear coverts
remain yellow.
First-winter
Cirtine Wagtails are light-grey where
adults
are yellow.
During winter the sides of the head start turning yellowish.
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Twitcher's tip |
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The plumages of
all members of the Motacilla family
of wagtails vary between the sexes, but also with season and age.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Citrine
Wagtail at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Citrine Wagtail is available
HERE
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The taxonomy of various species of wagtails is very complex.
At present 5, possibly 6, races of Citrine Wagtails are accepted
to be valid (for details see a field guide), all of which are
migratory.
Their total range extends from Europe below the polar circle
to Arabia, parts of the Levant and into Asia, except the far
East and the farthest South.
Nominate race
"citreola"
breeds in central and central northern Asia, while wintering
in the southern parts of their range, from Arabia via Iraq
and Iran to south of the Himalayas, across most of the Indian
subcontinent and into south-eastern Asia.
Race "werae" breeds in the more westerly parts of central Asia,
where the population overlaps with race "citreola".
Both these races can be found in a range spanning from Europe
to northern China.
In their wintering grounds, when the sexes look alike, it is
almost impossible to tell different races apart. Hence, the
distribution of various races during the northern winters is
ill-understood.
Citrine Wagtails are listed as rare vagrants to Australia. There
are only a few confirmed sightings, from only 3 areas/locations:
Putta Bucca Wetlands, Mudgee, NSW, in 2014,
the Whyalla Wetlands, Whyalla, SA, in 2019, and
the Wastewater Treatment Plant and surrounding wetlands at
Katherine, NT, in 2020.
While in Australia, Citrine Wagtails appear to have a preference
for wetlands in the interior of the continent, including eutrophic
wetlands, such as
Sewage Treatment Plants
and former quarries.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "citreola/werae"
M. Eaton reports finding a Citrine Wagtail, race
"citreola"
or "werae",
at the Sewage Treatment Plant in Katherine, NT, in July 2020.
The same bird was subsequently seen also by P. Brown.
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Photos |
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Race "citreloa/werae"
The race of the bird shown below is not well-determined.
Both races, "citreola" and "werae", share the alternate
name "Grey-backed Citrine Wagtail".
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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BREEDING |
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Lateral view of a (possibly moulting) male Citrine Wagtail in
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sewage Treatment Plant, Katherine, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of a (possibly moulting) male Citrine Wagtail in
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sewage Treatment Plant, Katherine, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of a (possibly moulting) male Citrine Wagtail in
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sewage Treatment Plant, Katherine, NT, July 2020]
Evidence that the male Citrine Wagtail was indeed found in Australia:
here seen together with a female
Magpie-lark
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sewage Treatment Plant, Katherine, NT, July 2020]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
