The eastern yellow wagtail (Motacilla tschutschensis) is a small
passerine in the
wagtailfamilyMotacillidae, which also includes the
pipits and
longclaws. It was often classified as a subspecies of the Western yellow wagtail. It breeds in the eastern
Palearctic and Alaska and migrates to South Asia and Australia.
M. t. plexa (
Thayer &
Bangs, 1914) – central north Siberia
M. t. tschutschensisGmelin, JF, 1789 – south Siberia, north Mongolia, east
Kazakhstan and northwest China to northeast Siberia and northwest North America
M. t. macronyx (
Stresemann, 1920) – central south Siberia, northeast Mongolia and northeast China
M. t. taivana (
Swinhoe, 1863) – southeast Siberia to
Sakhalin (east Russia), and far north
Hokkaido (north Japan)
Three species of yellow wagtails are recognised in the Palearctic: the eastern yellow wagtail, the
western yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava) and the
citrine wagtail (Motacilla citreola). Phylogenetic analysis using
mitochondrial DNA sequences produces a topology that conflicts with that obtained from when nuclear sequences are used. The topology from nuclear data more closely corresponds to the traditional
phenotypic taxonomy.[10][11] The nuclear genetic divergence between the western and eastern yellow wagtails is small and some ornithologists choose to not split the species so that the eastern races become subspecies of M. flava.[12]
Description
It is a slender 15–16 cm long bird, with the characteristic long, constantly wagging tail of its genus. 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.
The call is a characteristic high-pitched jeet.[13]
Distribution and habitat
This species breeds in the East
Palearctic and has a foothold in
North America in
Alaska. Populations
migrate to south Asia and Australia. 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.[13][14]
Behaviour
This
insectivorousbird inhabits open country near water, such as
wet meadows. It nests in tussocks, laying 4–8 speckled eggs.
^Harris, R.B.; Alström, P.; Ödeen, A.; Leaché, A.D. (2018). "Discordance between genomic divergence and phenotypic variation in a rapidly evolving avian genus (Motacilla)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 120: 183–195.
arXiv:1707.03864.
doi:
10.1016/j.ympev.2017.11.020.
PMID29246816.
^Khokhlova, I. G.; Cimbaluk, A. K. (1971). "Acanthocephala of the genus Apororhynchus Shipley, 1899 and a description of A. paulonucleatus n.sp". KOLOS: 426–431.
Further reading
Fraker MA & Fraker RN. (1980). Yellow Wagtail Motacilla-Flava East of the Mackenzie Delta Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist. vol 94, no 4. p. 465-466.
Hunt J & Standring I. (1995). A yellow wagtail Motacilla flava at Lake Mclarty. Western Australian Naturalist. vol 20, no 2. p. 61-64.
Johnstone RE. (1982). The Yellow Wagtail Motacilla-Flava in Australia. Western Australian Naturalist. vol 15, no 3. p. 61-66.
Moffatt JD. (1981). Yellow Wagtail Motacilla-Flava on Heron Island Queensland Australia with Notes on the Status of Southern Individuals. Emu. vol 81, no 1. p. 47-48.