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Eastern Yellow Wagtail
(Motacilla tschutschensis)
Size: 15-16 cm
Weight: 17-25 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 Eastern Yellow
Wagtails is dimorphic,
i.e. males
and
females
are different.
Also the various races show noticeable differences in their morphology.
During the breeding season,
male
Eastern Yellow Wagtails of nominate race "tschutschensis"
have a grey cap, dark-grey eye-stripes and white supercilia. The
nape of the neck, wing coverts and mantle are greenish-grey. The
chin is white, while the rest of the front, down
to the undertail coverts, is yellow; the breast
can at times be "dirty" (grey-speckled). The dark-grey flight
feathers are lined yellowish-white, while the uppertail is grey.
Males
in eclipse resemble
females
in breeding plumage.
The nape, mantle and wing coverts are grey and slightly
vermiculated.
Females in eclipse
are white to mid-grey, with white-lined dark-grey wing feathers.
They have only small patches of pale-yellow, often on chest and
vent.
Immature females have no yellow on them; they are recognized by
their pale-centered ear patches.
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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 Eastern
Yellow 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 Eastern Yellow Wagtail is available
HERE
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The taxonomy of various species of wagtails is very complex.
At present 5 races of Eastern Yellow Wagtails are accepted
to be valid (for details see a field guide or, e.g.,
Wikipedia
).
They breed in far-eastern Asia, from north-eastern China
northwards to the Arctic Ocean and, across the Bering Sea,
along the North-west coast of Alaska.
Their wintering grounds extend from southern China to
Bangladesh and southward from there into much of
south-eastern Asia, up to the south-western coast of
Papua and parts of the Australian North coast.
Eastern Yellow Wagtails are listed as rare vagrants to the Australian
continent from the North. They are found mostly along parts of the
North coast (from Eighty Mile Beach in WA to the Top End
of the NT, less frequently along the Gulf of Carpentaria coastline
and Cape York peninsula) and along the East coast of QLD. There
are also reports of birds traveling around the continent via the
East coast to the South of the continent, as far as the VIC/SA
border. There have been reports from SW WA as well and some birds
even made their way through the Red Centre, via the NT towards
inland SA (up to Coober Pedy, SA).
Eastern Yellow Wagtails are usually found in wetlands with
standing water, such as e.g. settlement ponds in
sewage treatment plants.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "tschutschensis"
B. Hensen reports spotting an Eastern Yellow Wagtail, nominate race
"tschutschensis",
at the Leanyer Sewage Treatment Plant, Darwin, NT, in October/November
2018.
Another was spotted at Knuckey Lagoon, Darwin, NT, in November 2018.
M. Eaton reports finding an Eastern Yellow Wagtail, nominate race
"tschutschensis", at
Dowse Lagoon, Sandgate, Brisbane, QLD, in November 2019.
P. Brown found an Eastern Yellow Wagtail, nominate race
"tschutschensis", at East Point Reserve, Darwin, NT, in
October 2020.
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Photos |
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Race "tschutschensis"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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NON-BREEDING |
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Lateral view of a male Eastern Yellow Wagtail in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Knuckey Lagoon, Darwin, NT, in November 2018]
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FEMALE |
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NON-BREEDING |
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Near-frontal view of a female Eastern Yellow Wagtail in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer Sewage Treatment Plant, Darwin, NT, in October 2018]
Near-frontal view of a female Eastern Yellow Wagtail in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dowse Lagoon, Sandgate, Brisbane, QLD, November 2019]
Near-lateral view of a female Eastern Yellow Wagtail in non-breeding
plumage,
in direct comparison with
a Common Sandpiper and
a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer Sewage Treatment Plant, Darwin, NT, in October 2018]
Lateral view of a female Eastern Yellow Wagtail in non-breeding
plumage; note the
long toes (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer Sewage Treatment Plant, Darwin, NT, in November 2018]
Lateral view of a female Eastern Yellow Wagtail in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer Sewage Treatment Plant, Darwin, NT, in November 2018]
Lateral view of a female Eastern Yellow Wagtail in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer Sewage Treatment Plant, Darwin, NT, in October 2018]
Lateral view of a female Eastern Yellow Wagtail in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer Sewage Treatment Plant, Darwin, NT, in October 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a female Eastern Yellow Wagtail in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer Sewage Treatment Plant, Darwin, NT, in October 2018]
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
