White Wagtail

Motacilla alba (Linnaeus, 1758)

2016-04-11 Tyumen region, Tyumen	© Luiza Mardonova

Description

The White Wagtail is sparrow-sized but very slender bird. It is colored in black, white and grey. The male has black crown from the forehead to nape, the female's crown is usually grey or black on fore-crown only. The male has plain black bib from the chin to upper breast; female sometimes has white chin and throat, its black bib is shorter below. Some females are similar on males; with all black crown and large plain bib. In autumn plumage general colors remain; but black bib becomes the crescent-shaped patch. The forehead of females becomes grey, with black mottles on males and dark females; the crown becomes more or less grey; the remained black color becomes browner. Juveniles on first plumage are brownish-grey with off-white abdomen. The color of juveniles is quite variable; it is easy to mix up them with juveniles of Yellow and Citrine Wagtails. But young White Wagtails lack the pale supercilium fore eye and the fine rusty tinge. in autumn the black bib distinctly appears; the grey color becomes purer as at adults. Weight 17-27 grams, length about 18, wing 8,2-9,6, wingspan 25-30 cm.

References