Dutch Birding volume 31 (2009) no 4

Breeding of presumed Grey-headed Wagtail near Spaarn­dam in 2008

From 21 April 2008, a male Grey-headed Wagtail Motacilla thunbergi (or possibly a hybrid) was present near Spaarndam, Noord-Holland, the Nether­lands. During early May it appeared to be paired with a female 'yellow wagtail', probably a Blue-headed Wagtail M flava. The identification of the male was based on its mostly dark grey upperhead, with a short, white supercilium behind the eye. The possibility that it was a hybrid could not be fully excluded; the rather wide supercilium (for Grey-headed), the pale lower part of the eye ring and only a few dark spots on the breast may have been indications of hybridization. The female had an obvious super­cilium, a white eye ring and pale spots on the ear coverts which suggested Blue-headed; however, the underparts appeared less yellowish than typical for that species. The pair raised at least two young and was last seen on 20 June. In 2009 the male returned - probably as early as 9 April - but it appeared to be unpaired. Previously, territorial males Grey-headed in the Netherlands were reported in 1975, 1977 (two), 1979 and 1994, but breeding was not documented in these cases. The species' nearest breeding areas are situated c 700 km north of Spaarndam in southern Norway.

Roy Slaterus, Bervoetsbos 71, 2134 PM Hoofddorp, Nederland
(roy.slaterusdutchbirding.nl)