Yellow Wagtail

The Yellow Wagtail can be seen in Mallorca from early spring until late summer with many migrating birds passing through as well as the local breeding population of the Iberian sub-species. It appears in very large numbers in the spring during migration with flocks of mixed races resting in the north with Can Currassa, S’Albuferta, Albufera and Son Bosc all good sites for them. The local breeding birds can be found in damp arable land as well as the marshes. They can often be observed at reasonably close quarters sitting on fence posts, the tops of small bushes or when nesting on the vegetation in which it nests. Late in the summer the best part of the island to observe them is in the south as they rest before making the final part of their journey to their wintering grounds in the Sahara.

The western yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava) breeds throughout much of Europe and Asia with over ten races one being the English race which is all yellow and the many different blue-headed and grey-headed races. They are all insect feeding species that nest on the ground in a small nest with a clutch of eggs usually between four and seven.

Technical description

It is a slender bird 16cm long with a long tail which is often wagging especially when walking on the ground. In breeding season, the male is olive above and bright yellow underneath and the head depending on the subspecies. The female is a much duller bird overall but still distinctive. The Iberian species flava iberiae has a dark grey head but also a white throat.