YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Q Is this a Pied or White Wagtail? How do I tell the two species apart? Andrew Harrison, via email

A David Callahan, taxonomist, replies: “Pied Wagtail is not a full species, but the semi-resident British form of White Wagtail, its near-Continental cousin which is usually only seen on passage in Britain. The two can be very difficult to separate, but there are several features in your photo that nail it as Pied: • Very extensive grey on the flanks, darkening towards the rear – this is paler and much less extensive on White; A yellowish tinge to the face and forehead mark the bird as a firstwinter, and White should have a pale grey cap at this age rather than the black of Pied;

• The black cap blending at its lower edge into the grey back – White has a sharp delineation between the two colours;

• The grey on the back appears too dark for White;

• From what can be seen of the rump, it seems to be completely black – White should have continuous grey from back to tail, darkening only at the end of the upper tail coverts;

• More extensive pale fringes to the wing-bars than a White should have at this age.

Also, a big circumstantial clue is the snow in the background: a wintering bird will almost inevitably be a Pied.”

Q

Can you help me identify this little red finch? I also have about 20 Yellowhammers feeding in my garden – I thought they were on the endangered list! Kevin Robinson, via email

A

Birdwatch Identification Consultant Andy Stoddart replies: “This small finch is a Lesser Redpoll. The red ‘poll’ on the forehead combined with

blackish lores and chin and brown streaky plumage quickly identify it as one of the redpolls, while the petite proportions, rich brownish hues in the upperparts and a brown tinge to the greater covert wing-bar all point to Lesser Redpoll. The strong pinky-red in the breast indicates a male.”