Wednesday 24 July 2013

Japanese Wagtail (Motacilla grandis)

OTHER NAMES: Japanese Pied Wagtail
Latin Etymology: Motacilla ("wagtail") grandis ("large")
 Adult Japanese Wagtail (Motacilla Grandis) in Arashiyama, Japan - July 2013

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 28-31g  /  Length: 21cm  /  Wingspan: ?
ABSENT FROM UK / IUCN Red List Least Concern

The Japanese Wagtail is fills a very similar role to the Grey and Pied Wagtails found in the UK, although it is more closely tied to water than Pied.  It coexists with the Japanese race of the White Wagtail, but they have quite distinct plumage patterns to differentiate the two of them.  Another fairly confiding species, like wagtails in europe it pays fairly little attention to humans down to very short distances.  It apparently favours river habitats with shingled bars in the river, which fits with the locations I saw them.  I didn't encounter this species on my second trip to Japan - this is probably mostly due to lack of appropriate habitat.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Motacillidae
Genus: Motacilla
Subspecies: None - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -
JAPAN - Japanese - セグロセキレイ  /  Se-guro sekirei ("Black-backed Wagtail")
Locally common resident to most of Japan, Summer breeding only in most of Hokkaido
 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: A few birds at Kyoto and Arashiyama.

Further Notes: BirdForum OpusIUCN Red ListRSPBWikipedia, Xeno-canto

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