Hi Mike and others,
Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis is split by the AOU from
Yellow Wagtail M. flava. In Europe (like the Netherlands and some leading
magazine's from the UK) Yellow Wagtail has been split (by PCC) as: Yellow
Wagtail*
Motacilla flavissima, Grey-headed Wagtail* Motacilla thunbergi, Black-headed
Wagtail* Motacilla feldegg, Spanish Wagtail* Motacilla iberiae, Ashy-headed
Wagtail* Motacilla cinereocapilla, Yellow-headed Wagtail*Motacilla lutea,
Green-headed Wagtail* Motacilla taivana, Kamchatka Wagtail* Motacilla
simillima,
Alaska Wagtail* Motacilla tschutschensis and White-headed Wagtail* Motacilla
leucocephala. Macronyx is not a full species as it is probably part of the
thunbergi. A bird i've seen in the NT few years (october 2002) ago resembled
taivana, but sadly no documentation has been taken by us.
Cheers,
Justin Jansen
Rare Birds on Cocos; Macronyx Yellow Wagtail
from [<A
HREF="http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/archives/cgi-bin/namazu.cgi?query=%2Bfrom%3Apterodroma%40bigpond.com&idxname=birding-aus&sort=date%3Alate";>Mike
Carter</A>] [<A
HREF="http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/archives/cgi-bin/mesg.cgi?a=birding-aus&i=004801c67815%24df19e3a0%240100000a%40lan";>Permanent
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To: "Edwin Vella" <m("ozemail.com.au","evella");<A
HREF=""></A>>,
"BIRDING-AUS" <m("vicnet.net.au","birding-aus");<A
HREF=""></A>>
Subject: Rare Birds on Cocos; Macronyx Yellow Wagtail
From: "Mike Carter" <m("bigpond.com","pterodroma");<A
HREF=""></A>>
Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 21:51:14 +1000
Following the report of the observation by Richard Baxter on Cocos (Keeling)
Island, Edwin Vella asked 'Is the macronyx Yellow Wagtail a full species? If
it is, what other species of Yellow Wagtail have been split?"Well as always, it
depends on the taxonomy you choose to follow. Even the recent Pipits &
Wagtails, the ultimate reference by Alstrom & Mild, (2003) Helm, wasn't
definitive.
It treated the Yellow Wagtail as a single species with, if I can count, 13
subspecies, some with various forms, but then said molecular data suggest they
should be split into two groups, 'Western' and 'Eastern' forms, OR into nine or
more species! So far as Australia is concerned only the three subspecies
comprising the Eastern group have so far been claimed or recorded. These are
tschutschensis (which absorbs simillima), taivana, and macronyx. Alternatively
these
could be regarded as three separate species. So we await the next Christidis &
Boles.Unfortunately, macronyx resembles thunbergi (of the 'Western' group)
so closely that it 'is not diagnosable by plumage, morphometrics or voice' (A &
M page 285 and elsewhere) but DNA data says it is different! Either or both
could occur in Australia. Since thunbergi has a more northerly breeding
distribution, I think it a more likely vagrant to Australia especially for an
occurrence in May as they migrate later. However, Schodde & Mason (1999) CSIRO,
followed Mees (1982), in accepting macronyx from central Asia as the more
likely
taxon, so changed the initial identification of a Yellow Wagtail seen at
Richmond (NSW I suppose) (Australian Birds 1979). Both winter in the Oriental
region
and according to Alstrom & Mild, thunbergi breeds not only further north but
also further east than macronyx. S & M considered thunbergi a northwest
Eurasian form and therefore of unlikely provenance. Not so
apparently.Fortunately,
Richard has numerous excellent photos of this beast. Unfortunately, I dipped!
BUT GOT HIS CHINESE POND HERON now believed to have gone. I'd seen it within 29
hours of Richard's gratefully received call to my home in Victoria!Mike
Carter30 Canadian Bay RoadMt Eliza VIC 3930Ph: (03) 9787 7136Email:
m("bigpond.com","pterodroma");<A
HREF=""></A>
Met vriendelijke groet/ Kind regards,
Justin Jansen
Blitterswijckseweg 3
5871 CD Broekhuizenvorst
The Netherlands
Mob 0031651574591
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