Two relatively common bird species that are difficult to distinguish are the white wagtail (Motacilla alba) and the pied wagtail (Motacilla yarrelli). The former is highly migratory and widespread across continental Europe, visiting the British Isles in reasonable numbers. The latter is, for the most part, sedentary and breeds in the British Isles and adjacent continental Europe. Both species are the same size and shape and both are black, white and grey. Both have plumage that varies with the sex of the species, the season and the bird's age. Experienced birdwatchers are known to disagree about what they are seeing, especially when it is a first-winter or autumn bird. This photograph shows a bird I photographed foraging on a wood shingle roof. It is, I believe, a pied wagtail. Feel free to disagree.
photos © T. Boughen Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2
