This highly variable species breaks up into 
a number of well marked subspecies that can be 
identified by bands. Isolated individuals of 
exotic forms may be "sports" and have little 
significance but general breeding localities 
can be assigned to male migrants. The follow¬ 
ing subspecies are common in the eastern 
Mediterranean and Egypt on passage: flava 
(Southern Scandanavia, central and eastern 
Europe and Russia to the Urals), thunbergi 
(northern Scandanavia), and feldegg (southeast 
Europe, Ukraine, and Near East to Afghanistan). 
The last winters sparingly in east Africa 
and more commonly in India. 
Habitat: Meadows, moors, tundra, steppes, 
marshland and cultivated fields usually 
near water. 
