Wagtail

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Wagtails
OM1C2611 (53755898331).jpg
White wagtail (Motacilla alba) in Stockholm, Sweden
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Motacillidae
Genus: Motacilla
Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
Motacilla alba
Linnaeus, 1758
Species

Many, see text

Wagtails are a group of passerine birds that form the genus Motacilla in the family Motacillidae. The common name and genus name are derived from their characteristic tail pumping behaviour. Together with the pipits and longclaws they form the family Motacillidae.

Contents

Wagtail in Dhaka, Bangladesh Wag.jpg
Wagtail in Dhaka, Bangladesh

The forest wagtail belongs to the monotypic genus Dendronanthus which is closely related to Motacilla and sometimes included therein.

The willie wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) of Australia is not a true wagtail; it was named as such by early settlers from England from its superficial similarity in colour and behaviour to the pied wagtail, but belongs to an unrelated genus of birds known as fantails.

Taxonomy

Wagtail Trjasoguzka.JPG
Wagtail
Egg, Collection Museum Wiesbaden, Germany Motacilla alba yarrellii MWNH 2226.JPG
Egg, Collection Museum Wiesbaden, Germany

The genus Motacilla was described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae . [1] The type species is the white wagtail. [2] Motacilla is the Latin name for the pied wagtail; although actually a diminutive of motare, "to move about", from medieval times it led to the misunderstanding of cilla as "tail". [3]

At first glance, the wagtails appear to be divided into a yellow-bellied group and a white-bellied one, or one where the upper head is black and another where it is usually grey, but may be olive, yellow, or other colours. However, these are not evolutionary lineages; change of belly colour and increase of melanin have occurred independently several times in the wagtails, and the colour patterns which actually indicate relationships are more subtle.

mtDNA cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 sequence data (Voelker, 2002) is of limited use: the suspicion that there is a superspecies of probably three white-bellied, black-throated wagtails is confirmed. Also, there is another superspecies in sub-Saharan Africa, three white-throated species with a black breast-band. The remaining five species are highly variable morphologically and their relationships with each other and with the two clades have not yet been satisfactorily explained.

The origin of the genus appears to be in the general area of Eastern Siberia/Mongolia. Wagtails spread rapidly across Eurasia and dispersed to Africa in the Zanclean (Early Pliocene) [4] where the sub-Saharan lineage was later isolated. The African pied wagtail (and possibly the Mekong wagtail) diverged prior to the massive radiation of the white-bellied black-throated and most yellow-bellied forms, all of which took place during the late Piacenzian (early Late Pliocene), c. 3 mya.

Three species are poly- or paraphyletic in the present taxonomical arrangement, and either subspecies need to be reassigned and/or species split up. The western yellow wagtail (AKA blue-headed wagtail, yellow wagtail, and many other names) especially, has always been a taxonomical nightmare, with ten currently accepted subspecies and many more invalid ones. The two remaining "monochrome" species, Mekong and African pied wagtail may be closely related, or a most striking example of convergent evolution. [5]

Prehistoric wagtails known from fossils are Motacilla humata and Motacilla major.

Characteristics

Wagtails are slender, often colourful, ground-feeding insectivores of open country in the Old World. Species of wagtail breed in Africa, Europe and Asia, some of which are fully or partially migratory. Two species also breed in western Alaska, and wintering birds may reach Australia.

They are ground nesters, often in rock crevices on steep banks or walls, laying (3–)4–6(–8) speckled eggs at a time. [6] Among their most conspicuous behaviours is a near constant tail wagging, a trait that has given the birds their common name. In spite of the ubiquity of the behaviour and observations of it, the reasons for it are poorly understood. It has been suggested that it may flush up prey, or that it may signal submissiveness to other wagtails. Recent studies have suggested instead that it is a signal of vigilance [7] that may aid to deter potential predators. [8]

Species list

The genus contains thirteen species. [9]

ImageScientific nameCommon nameDistribution
Wiesenschafstelze.JPG Motacilla flava Western yellow wagtail Temperate to subarctic Europe and western Asia; wintering in tropical Africa and southern Asia.
Eastern Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla tschutschensis tschutschensis), Kamchatka, Russia 14.jpg Motacilla tschutschensis Eastern yellow wagtail Temperate to subarctic eastern Asia, also in Alaska in North America; wintering southern Asia and northern Australia.
Motacilla citreola 2.jpg Motacilla citreola Citrine wagtail Temperate eastern Europe, western and central Asia; wintering southern Asia.
Cape wagtail (8035546025).jpg Motacilla capensis Cape wagtail Southern Africa from Uganda, the eastern DRCongo and Kenya, through Zambia and Angola to southern Africa, south to the Western Cape; non-migratory.
Madagascar wagtail (Motacilla flaviventris).jpg Motacilla flaviventris Madagascar wagtail Madagascar; endemic, non-migratory.
Amaurocichla bocagii Keulemans.jpg Motacilla bocagii (formerly Amaurocichla bocagii) São Tomé shorttail São Tomé; endemic, non-migratory.
Grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea robusta).jpg Motacilla cinerea Grey wagtail Western Europe including the British Isles, southern Scandinavia, the Mediterranean region, and Macaronesia; also disjunct in temperate central and eastern Asia east to Kamchatka, and also the Himalaya to the Tien Shan. European populations largely resident or short-distance migrants; Asian populations migrate to southern Asia in winter.
Mountain wagtail (or Long-tailed Wagtail), Motacilla clara at Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa (14766222701).jpg Motacilla clara Mountain wagtail Guinea to Ethiopia south to South Africa.
White-Wagtail.jpg Motacilla alba White wagtail Breeds throughout Eurasia up to latitudes 75°N, only absent in the Arctic where the July isotherm is less than 4 °C. It also breeds in the mountains of Morocco and western Alaska. Short-distance migrant, wintering western and southern Europe south to north-central Africa and southern Asia. Occupies a wide range of habitats, but absent from deserts. [10]
African pied wagtail (Motacilla aguimp vidua).jpg Motacilla aguimp African pied wagtail Sub-Saharan Africa from the Eastern Cape north to extreme southern Egypt and from Guinea to western Eritrea and Somalia.
Motacilla samveasnae, Kaeng Chang Mop, Khemmarat District, Thailand 85419404.jpg Motacilla samveasnae Mekong wagtail Cambodia and Laos, largely resident, but a non-breeding visitor to nearby Thailand and Vietnam.
Motacilla grandis crying a2.JPG Motacilla grandis Japanese wagtail Japan and Korea; non-migratory.
White-browed Wagtail - India (16378624664).jpg Motacilla maderaspatensis White-browed wagtail India; non-migratory.

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The cuckoo, common cuckoo, European cuckoo or Eurasian cuckoo is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White wagtail</span> Species of bird

The white wagtail is a small passerine bird in the family Motacillidae, which also includes pipits and longclaws. The species breeds in the Palearctic zone in most of Europe and Asia and parts of North Africa; it also has a toehold in western Alaska as a scarce breeder. It is resident in the mildest parts of its range, but otherwise migrates to Africa. In total, there are between 9 and 11 subspecies of M. alba; in Ireland and Great Britain, the black-backed subspecies known as the pied wagtail predominates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fantail</span> Genus of birds

Fantails are small insectivorous songbirds of the genus Rhipidura in the family Rhipiduridae, native to Australasia, Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Most of the species are about 15 to 18 cm long, specialist aerial feeders, and named as "fantails", but the Australian willie wagtail is a little larger, and, though still an expert hunter of insects on the wing, concentrates equally on terrestrial prey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pipit</span> Genus of birds

The pipits are a cosmopolitan genus, Anthus, of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. Along with the wagtails and longclaws, the pipits make up the family Motacillidae. The genus is widespread, occurring across most of the world, except the driest deserts, rainforest and the mainland of Antarctica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motacillidae</span> Family of birds

The wagtails, longclaws, and pipits are a family, Motacillidae, of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. Around 70 species occur in five genera. The longclaws are entirely restricted to the Afrotropics, and the wagtails are predominantly found in Europe, Africa, and Asia, with two species migrating and breeding in Alaska. The pipits have the most cosmopolitan distribution, being found mostly in the Old World, but occurring also in the Americas and oceanic islands such as New Zealand and the Falklands. Two African species, the yellow-breasted pipit and Sharpe's longclaw, are sometimes placed in a separate seventh genus, Hemimacronyx, which is closely related to the longclaws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey wagtail</span> Species of bird

The grey wagtail is a member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae, measuring around 18–19 cm overall length. The species looks somewhat similar to the yellow wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. Breeding males have a black throat. The species is widely distributed, with several populations breeding in Eurosiberia and migrating to tropical regions in Asia and Africa. The species is always associated with running water when breeding, although they may use man-made structures near streams for the nest. Outside the breeding season, they may also be seen around lakes, coasts and other watery habitats. Like other wagtails, they frequently wag their tail and fly low with undulations and they have a sharp call that is often given in flight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western yellow wagtail</span> Species of bird

The western yellow wagtail is a small passerine bird in the wagtail family Motacillidae, which also includes the pipits and longclaws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Citrine wagtail</span> Species of bird

The citrine wagtail (Motacilla citreola) is a small songbird in the family Motacillidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European rock pipit</span> Small passerine bird that breeds in western Europe

The European rock pipit, or simply rock pipit, is a species of small passerine bird that breeds in western Europe on rocky coasts. It has streaked greyish-brown upperparts and buff underparts, and is similar in appearance to other European pipits. There are two subspecies, of which the nominate is non-migratory, and the Fennoscandian one is migratory, wintering in shoreline habitats further west and south in Europe. The European rock pipit is territorial at least in the breeding season, and year-round where it is resident. Males will sometimes enter an adjacent territory to assist the resident in repelling an intruder, behaviour only otherwise known from the African fiddler crab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water pipit</span> Species of passerine bird

The water pipit is a small passerine bird which breeds in the mountains of Southern Europe and the Palearctic eastwards to China. It is a short-distance migrant; many birds move to lower altitudes or wet open lowlands in winter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-browed wagtail</span> Species of bird

The white-browed wagtail or large pied wagtail is a medium-sized bird and is the largest member of the wagtail family. They are conspicuously patterned with black above and white below, a prominent white brow, shoulder stripe and outer tail feathers. White-browed wagtails are native to South Asia, common near small water bodies and have adapted to urban environments where they often nest on roof tops. The specific name is derived from the Indian city of Madras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forest wagtail</span> Species of bird

The forest wagtail is a medium-sized passerine bird in the wagtail family Motacillidae. It has a distinctive plumage that sets it apart from other wagtails and has the habit of wagging its tail sideways unlike the usual up and down movements of the other wagtail species. It is the only wagtail species that nests in trees. It is found mainly in forested habitats, breeding in the temperate parts of east Asia and wintering across tropical Asia from India to Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape longclaw</span> Species of bird

The Cape longclaw or orange-throated longclaw is a passerine bird in the family Motacillidae, which comprises the longclaws, pipits and wagtails. It occurs in Southern Africa in Zimbabwe and southern and eastern South Africa. This species is found in coastal and mountain grassland, often near water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharpe's longclaw</span> Species of bird

Sharpe's longclaw is a passerine bird in the longclaw family Motacillidae, which also includes the pipits and wagtails. It is endemic to Kenya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape wagtail</span> Species of bird

The Cape wagtail, also known as Wells's wagtail, is a small insectivorous bird which is widespread in southern Africa. It frequents water's edge, lawns and gardens. It is a mostly resident, territorial species, but has been known to undertake limited altitudinal migration or form flocks outside of the breeding season. Like other wagtails they are passerine birds of the family Motacillidae, which also includes the pipits and longclaws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African pied wagtail</span> Species of bird

The African pied wagtail, or African wagtail, is a species of bird in the family Motacillidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mekong wagtail</span> Species of bird

The Mekong wagtail is a species of bird in the family Motacillidae. It was first described in 2001 and named in honour of the late Cambodian ornithologist Sam Veasna. It is a black and white bird, similar in appearance to the African pied wagtail, although their ranges do not overlap. Its facial features and distinctive voice distinguish it from other black and white wagtails in southeastern Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern yellow wagtail</span> Species of bird

The eastern yellow wagtail is a small passerine in the wagtail family Motacillidae, 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.

In the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, published in 1758, the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus described 554 species of bird and gave each a binomial name.

References

  1. Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae:Laurentii Salvii. p. 184.
  2. Mayr, Ernst; Greenway, James C. Jr, eds. (1960). Check-list of Birds of the World. Vol. 9. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 130.
  3. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p.  261. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  4. The date of 4.5 mya in Voelker (2002) is dubious as it does not rely upon hard data but is merely an estimate based on average values now known to be often wrong.
  5. Duckworth, J. W.; Alstrom, Per; Davidson, P.; Evans, T. D.; Poole, C. M.; Setha, Tan; Timmins, R. J. (2001). "A new species of wagtail from the lower Mekong basin". Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. 121: 152–182. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  6. Snow, D. W. & Perrins, C. M. (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic Concise Edition. OUP ISBN   0-19-854099-X.
  7. Randler, C (2006). "Is tail wagging in white wagtails, Motacilla alba, an honest signal of vigilance?" Animal Behaviour71 (5): 1089-1093
  8. Hasson, O. (1991). "Pursuit-deterrent signals: communication between prey and predator". Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 6:325-329.
  9. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2018). "Waxbills, parrotfinches, munias, whydahs, Olive Warbler, accentors, pipits". World Bird List Version 8.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  10. Collins Bird Guide (page 250) by Mullarney, Svensson, Zetterstrom, & Grant

Sources