Pied Wagtail (yarrelli susp.) in Portugal

[Simon Wates]

I thought UK birders may be interested to know that in the last 2-3 weeks in the order of 5 Pied Wagtails have been seen in central and northern coastal Portugal. Also in the last few winters a small number of birds have been seen across the Algarve. According to experienced Portuguese birders they are not difficult to see in winter, especially around the major west coast wetlands. I understand, maybe incorrectly, that this subspecies is only a rare continental visitor and is not really considered a winter visitor in SW Europe.

Records here in recent years show otherwise.

Anybody know the "offiicial" migratory status of Pied Wagtail in the UK?

Best wishes

Simon

[forktail]

I thought UK birders may be interested to know that in the last 2-3 weeks in the order of 5 Pied Wagtails have been seen in central and northern coastal Portugal. Also in the last few winters a small number of birds have been seen across the Algarve. According to experienced Portuguese birders they are not difficult to see in winter, especially around the major west coast wetlands. I understand, maybe incorrectly, that this subspecies is only a rare continental visitor and is not really considered a winter visitor in SW Europe.

Records here in recent years show otherwise.

Anybody know the "offiicial" migratory status of Pied Wagtail in the UK?

Best wishes

Simon

Hi Simon

although yarrellii is mostly a resident in UK, those that migrate from southern Britain winter in Portugal and Spain, and as your Portuguese colleagues say, are not 'rare' there.

I had a look in the Mig. Atlas and funnily enough, those birds from northern Britain winter largely further north than southern British birds as you might expect (on the Spanish-Atlantic coasts, western France etc), but there are recoveries of northern British birds wintering in North Africa, and no records of southern British birds from there.

F.

[Simon Wates]

Thanks for your reply "Forktail",

Unfortunately I do not have a copy of the Migration Atlas.

Any idea of how many Pied Wagtails migrate south of the UK.

Of course here in Portugal, White Wagtails outnumber Pieds by a vast amount - must be various 1000's to one.

Regards

Simon

[forktail]

Any idea of how many Pied Wagtails migrate south of the UK.

Regards

Simon

Hi Simon

I've no idea if this data is available anywhere. I suspect the number of yarrellii moving south in the winter may be highly dependent on the severity of the winter weather in U.K. and could change markedly from year to year.

F.

[MichaelF]

The BTO Winter Atlas also states that most in northern Britain are migratory, moving south as far as Morocco.

Pied Wags are certainly distinctly scarcer here (NE England) in winter, with a near-complete clear-out of the uplands, and only fairly small numbers on the coastal lowlands.