Bird Guide

Cape Wagtail vs Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Cape Wagtail (Motacilla capensis)

Cape Wagtail

Motacilla capensis

Small21 gWetland

The Cape wagtail has a dull plumage and a relatively short tail, with olive grey breast and face, with a tan supercilium and dark lores. The underparts are creamy white and may show a faint pinkish wash on the lower breast and belly. The breast band is dusky and the sides of the breast and the flanks are olive-grey. The brownish black wings have pale edges to the feathers and the tail is blackish with the two outer tail feathers being white. The juveniles are similar to the adults but browner above and yellower below. There is no colour or plumage distinction between males and females.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0
Eastern Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla tschutschensis)

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla tschutschensis

Small19 gGrassland

It is a slender 15–16 cm long bird, with the characteristic long, constantly wagging tail of its genus. The breeding adult male is basically olive-green above and yellow below. In other plumages, particularly first-winter birds but also many females, the yellow may be diluted by white. The heads of breeding males come in a variety of colours and patterns depending on subspecies.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Jochem Verweij · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: valerkov · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Cape Wagtail and Eastern Yellow Wagtail.