Michele Mendi

Small passerine, feeds on small invertebrates. Nominate flava: S Scandinavia to C Europe; beema: Russia to W Siberia; cinereocapilla: Italy, Slovenia; pygmaea: Egypt; iberiae: SW France, Iberia and NW Africa; eucocephala: NW Mongolia to NW China; flavissima: Britain, coast W Europe; lutea: Lower Volga R to Kazakhstan; feldegg (melanogrisea): Balkans to Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan; thunbergi: Scandinavia to NW Siberia. Prefers fringes of wetlands and similar habitats natural or artificially managed. Population decreasing but large enough to assign status Least Concern. Most populations migratory.

Season of assessment

B

Population trendDecreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		26700000-36000000,30800000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Western Yellow Wagtail

From Fennoscandinia, C and E Europe birds, presumably of race flava, mainly move NE - SW, through the Low Countries, Spain, Italy and NW Africa to sub-Saharan winter areas from Sierra Leone to C Afr. Republic. Also NNW - SSE movement through the Balkan, Greece and Near East, presumably race thunbergi. Some connectivity between breeding and wintering range exists (Ferlini 2020), but thunbergi exception. From British Isles, birds move NNE - SSW, along the W coast of Europe and N Africa to Senegal, Gambia and Guinnee Bissau. From the Low Countries NE – SW movement through Spain, Portugal and NW Africa to W Africa between Senegal and Ivory coast. Few move N - S through Tunesia to Nigeria.

Recoveries by Condition for Western Yellow Wagtail

Until 1960 48% of the recoveries were dead birds: 16% were shot and 5,9% intentionally taken. From 1961 to 1990 34% concerned dead birds: 13% were shot and 3,3% intentionally taken. From 1991 almost all recoveries concerned alive birds.
Hotspots for shot birds are N Italy and the coasts of Spain and Portugal. Also many birds shot in SW France, S Italy, Greece and Morocco.

Annual Movements for Western Yellow Wagtail

From Nov - Feb birds are in the winter areas from Senegal to C Afr. Republic, also some in NW Africa and S Europe (mainly Spain). In Mar numbers in NW Africa increase. In Apr many arrive in C Europe, the Low Countries and S UK, also many in NW Africa and S Europe and few still in W Africa. In May birds arrive in Fennoscandia, less birds in S Europe and NW Africa and none left in W Africa. In Aug numbers in Spain and N Italy increase. In Sep few birds in Fennoscandia, numbers in C Europe and UK decrease, numbers in S Europe and N Africa increase. In Oct most birds have left Fennoscandia, C and W Europe and UK. Many birds in S Europe and NW Africa with hotspot along coasts of Ib. Peninsula. Many birds arrive in W Africa.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Western Yellow Wagtail

Fennoscandian birds pass S Sweden and S Finland in Aug; reports from Belgium, C Europe, N taly and S France (Aug-Sep), Ib. Peninsula (Aug-Dec, May), S Italy (Oct, May), NW Africa (Oct-Nov, Apr-May) and Senegal - C Afr. Republic (Oct-Apr). UK birds pass S UK and W France in Aug-Sep; reports from Portugal (Sep-Nov), Spain (few Sep-Nov, more Mar-Apr), Morocco (few Sep-Nov, more Mar-May) and Senegal - Guinnee Bissau (Oct-Apr). From Low Countries reports from France (Aug–Sep), Ib. Peninsula (Sep-Nov), NW Africa (Aug-Dec and Mar-Apr) and W Africa (Nov-Apr). C Europe birds are found in France (Sep-Oct, Apr), Ib. Peninsula (Sep-Dec, few Apr), few Greece (Oct, Dec), Italy and NW Africa (Sep-Oct, Mar-May) and Senegal - C Afr. Republic (Oct-Mar). N. populations move longest and leap-frig over S populations (Bell 1996; Bell2007).

Henk van der Jeugd

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Bell, C.P.1996 . Seasonality and time allocation as causes of leap-frog migration in the Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava. Journal of avian Biology 27 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/3677265) : 334–342
Bell, C.P.2007 . Climate change and spring migration in the Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava: an Afrotropical perspective. Journal of Ornithology 148 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-007-0215-4) : 495–499
Ferlini, F.2020 . Wintering range of western yellow wagtail Motacilla flava in Africa and Europe in a historical perspective. Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia 90 article no.: 430 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/rio.2020.430)

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