Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla tschutschensis

Size: 15–16 cm long

Weght: 16-20 g

Found: Most Eastern Yellow Wagtails are found as breeding birds in northern Asia, but there are also breeding birds in northern and western Alaska. Long-distance migrants, Eastern Yellow Wagtails migrate to southeast Asia or the Australia region for the winter.

Description: The Eastern Yellow Wagtail is very similar to the Western Yellow Wagtail, but it has slightly paler grey forehead to nape, and mostly pale grey ear-coverts (sometimes blackish), blackish-grey lores and conspicuous white eyebrow. Crown and nape are bluish-grey. The upperparts are olive-green, usually brighter and greener and the underparts are slightly paler yellow with brown spots on breast sides, but the bird shows rarely a necklace of darkish flecks on the white throat.
The wings are dark with two yellowish-white wingbars. The dark tail has two white outer rectrices.

Diet: Feeds by walking on the ground, often making fast runs to capture insects when they are spotted. They will also sometimes catch flying insects in flight, or hover briefly while gleaning insects from vegetation.

Comment: Both parents feed nestlings. Young leave the nest about 10-13 days after hatching, but often unable to fly for another 3-6 days.