White Wagtail(leucopsis), 10/26/2012

The pictures below are all black-backed White Wagtails, with the Scientific Name Motacilla alba leucopsis, belonging to the leucopsis subspecies under the main White Wagtail species with the Scientific Name Motacilla alba in general. This subspecies is mainly mixed black and white, quite unique in Taiwan. They like to hang around in the stinky gutters in search of foods. The food sources there must be very attractive to them. In fact, they also search foods in farm fields or grasslands. In Taiwan, most of them are wintering birds, but some are local birds which stay all year round.

There are many subspecies of White Wagtail in the world, all looking very much alike. In Taiwan, three subspecies have been spotted, i.e., the leucopsis, ocularis and lugens subspecies. Within these three subspecies, only the leucopsis subspecies bears no eyelines. The other two subspecies all bear eyelines.



taken at Four Beast Mountain, Taipei City, Taiwan, on 10/26/2012



taken at Four Beast Mountain, Taipei City, Taiwan, on 10/26/2012



taken at Wenshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan, on 5/11/2011



taken at An-Keng Branch of NTU Farm in New Taipei City, Taiwan, on 3/15/2012



male video recorded at Four Beast Mountain, Taipei City, Taiwan, on 10/26/2012



male video recorded at Wenshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan, on 5/21/2011



male and female video recorded at Wenshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan, on 5/21/2011



video recorded at Wenshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan, on 5/21/2011

Chinese name:	白面白鶺鴒
English name:	White Wagtail(black backed)
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Motacilla alba, leucopsis subspecies
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Motacillidae
Species status:	subspecies
Conservation status:	Least Concern
Migration status:	Most of them are winter migratory birds, and some are local birds in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Common in Taiwan
Foods:	Insects, seeds
Habitat:	Wetlands, wet farm fields, streams, gutters, grasslands
Altitude:	Low to mid-altitudes
Behavior:	Often appear alone or in flock in streams, wet farm fields and gutters.
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 19 cm long. The bird is mainly mixed black and white, with some gray. It has no eyeline. Forehead, face, throat, side neck, belly and undertail coverts are white. Breast is black. The front part of the head top is white, and the rear part is black. Rear neck, back, wing and tail are black. There is a large white mark on each side wing. They often flap their tail constantly. Summer plumage: Winter plumage: Similar species:
Breeding places:	China, Korean Peninsula
Migration destinations:	Indo-China Peninsula, Taiwan, Philippines
Time photographed:	5/11/2011, 5/21/2011, 3/15/2012, 10/26/2012
Location found:	Wenshan District of Taipei City, An-Keng Branch of NTU Farm in New Taipei City, Four Beast Mountain in Taipei City, Taiwan
Sources:	Internet
Notes: