Citrine Wagtail

Motacilla citreola (Pallas, 1776)

2016-05-01 Tyumen region, Ishimskiy district	© Eugeny Bayanov

Description

The adult male of the Citrine Wagtail in breeding plumage have bright-yellow head and underparts; neck, mantle and uppertail are olive-grey; sometimes neck and its flanks are black; the flight feathers and wing coverts are black-brownish with broad white edges on the inner webs. The median and greater coverts are with white tips. The tail feathers are black or black-brownish with a much white on the two outer pairs. The bill and legs are black-brown, the eyes are brown. The adult female in breeding plumage is similar on the male but much dimmer. The head is probable same color with the back. After the autumn molting birds have brownish or olive tinge. The head is grayish-green almost same color with the back; the forehead and supercilium stay yellow; ear coverts are brownish mottled. Juveniles are olive-brownish above; the ear coverts are grayish-brown; the supercilium is pale buffy-white. The flight feathers and wing coverts are dark-brownish with broad buffy-white edges on the last secondaries, median and greater coverts. The tail feathers are black with much white on the two outer pairs. The underparts are off-white with buffy tinge on the breast and craw. The bill is brownish, legs are dark-brownish. Weight 14.4-22 grams, wing 72-91, tail 69-92 мм.

References