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The White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba (L 18cm) is the mainland European counterpart of the Pied Wagtail and easily overlooked because the two are so similar. All birds have a grey, not black, rump but this is not always easy to discern. An adult male also has a grey (not black), with a clear demarcation from the black nape and hindcrown in summer. In terms of behaviour and voice, White and Pied Wagtails are identical. The White Wagtail replaces Pied in the Channel Islands and a few pairs also breed in Scotland, particularly on the Shetland Isles. Elsewhere, it is a fairly common passage migrant, with most sightings on the coast in autumn.
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© PAUL STERRY/Nature Photographers
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The White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba (L 18cm) is the mainland European counterpart of the Pied Wagtail and easily overlooked because the two are so similar. All birds have a grey, not black, rump but this is not always easy to discern. An adult male also has a grey (not black), with a clear demarcation from the black nape and hindcrown in summer. In terms of behaviour and voice, White and Pied Wagtails are identical. The White Wagtail replaces Pied in the Channel Islands and a few pairs also breed in Scotland, particularly on the Shetland Isles. Elsewhere, it is a fairly common passage migrant, with most sightings on the coast in autumn.