From:
On the topic of wagtails, I was interested to read in Pizzey and Knight
just how extensive the distribution of Citrine Wagtails are in Australia. Has
anyone on this list ever seen one? What exact records are
there.
REPLY from Mike Carter
There are only two accepted records from Australia. One
from the Sydney region, Woolaware Bay, in July 1962 (McGill in Emu 1962) and
one from Gawler in SA in late May early June 1987 (Holder et al. in SA
Ornithologist, 1988). I twitched and photographed the latter and as of today,
I'm still alive and on this list!
As for the map in Pizzey, the one claim from Darwin
that I know of was of a bird identified by call in flight and is unacceptable
and one from the Cairns region that I know of was based on a common
misconception that a double wing bar is diagnostic of Citrine Wagtail. Strong
double wing bars are normal in immature Yellow Wagtails. So Pizzey was only
half right.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mt
Eliza VIC 3930
Ph: (03)
9787 7136
Email:
