THE BLUE-HEADED WAGTAIL. 



Motacilla flava, Linnaeus. 

 Plate i i . 



It was first made clear by Gould in 1832 that the Blue-headed Wagtail, 

 which is the Continental form of our common Yellow Wagtail, was distinct, 

 and he therefore separated the two birds. 



It has a wide range over Europe, and is also found in Asia and America, 

 wintering in Africa. 



The Blue-headed Wagtail is now known to be a more or less regular spring 

 visitor to our islands, a few remaining to nest, especially in parts of Sussex and 

 Kent. It has also been known to breed in Durham and Wiltshire. 



Mr. Dresser states {Birds of Europe, vol. iii.) : " The present species 

 {Motacilla flavd), which may be considered the typical form, is during the breed- 

 ing season found in Central Europe, while in the high north Motacilla viridis 

 alone occurs." 



The food of this Wagtail consists of flies and other insects, and in its habits 

 it is very like the others, haunting marshy ground and grass lands, especially 

 where there are cattle. It has a twittering song. 



The nest, built in May, is made of roots, bents, dry grasses, and moss, with 

 a lining of hair and some feathers. It is placed on the ground among long grass 

 and other herbage, and contains from four to six eggs, which are buffish-white, 

 clouded with yellowish-brown. 



A variety of this Wagtail, the Motacilla beema, Sykes, known as Sykes' Wagtail, 

 has once occurred at Rottendean, Sussex, in April 1898. This has the cheeks 

 and lower part of the ear-coverts white, and the grey on the top of the head and 

 nape are paler than in the Blue-headed Wagtail. 



The other forms of this Wagtail, which have visited the British Islands, 

 and are all closely related, are as follows : 



The Grey-headed Yellow Wagtail {Motacilla viridis, Gmelin), (figured on 

 Plate 11), a northern race, found in Scandinavia and ranging across Russia to 

 Siberia ; it has the top of the head dark slaty-grey, almost black ear-coverts, and 

 is without the eye-stripe. Several examples have been recorded. 



The Black-headed Wagtail {Motacilla melanocephala, Lichtenstein), a southern 

 form inhabiting South-eastern Europe and Asia in summer, and spending the 

 winter in Africa and India. 



This has the crown, sides of the head, and back of neck black, without any 

 eye-stripe. The first example in England was shot in Sussex in 1903, and two 

 or three others have since been recorded. 



The Ashy-headed Wagtail, Motacilla cinereicapilla, Savi. This form has a 

 slaty-grey crown, ear-coverts black, and is without the eye-stripe. It inhabits 

 the Mediterranean countries, and winters in Africa. Two English examples have 

 been recorded. 



75 



