Motacilla flava
The western yellow wagtail nests in a large part of Eurasia, including France, where it is widespread in most regions except the in mountainous areas and in Brittany. The species is polytypic, with numerous subspecies, which are regularly revised. At least 4 breeding subspecies can be found in different parts of France and a 5th, of Scandinavian origin, is only present on migration. All subspecies migrate and winter in sub-Saharan Africa, as far south as South Africa.
Wagtails frequent open, often wet, environments (meadows, crops, wastelands, marshes) and are often seen on the ground or on promontories such as fence posts. Before migrating, wagtails gather by thousands to roost in reed beds in the evening. They, then, migrate in small groups.
To find out more about the migration routes of western yellow wagtail and their flight altitudes, they are captured at their nesting sites in France, particularly in Charente-Maritime and Loire-Atlantique. They are equipped with a 0.5g GLS that records data (approximate geographical positions and precise atmospheric pressure for altitude). In order to collect the data, the GLSs have to be recovered the following year by recapturing the birds on their return from wintering.
Nicheur en France ; Migrateur de passage en France