Wagtails & Pipits

 

 

 

(Western) Yellow Wagtail Glasóg Bhuí (Iartharach) Motacilla flava flavissima

Scarce passage migrant. Mainly in Spring and Autumn, with most seen in September and October. Has bred in the past.

Subspecies Blue-headed Wagtail Motacilla flava flava. Over 30 records.
Subspecies Grey-headed Wagtail Motacilla flava thunbergi Very Rare. One record.

Global Distribution: Motacilla flava has an extremely large range, extending from Europe, east through Siberia to west Asia and north-western China; and south through the Arabian Peninsula to Egypt. (Birdlife International) Has bred on very rare occasional in Ireland in the past. Not currently breeding here. 

 

Eastern Yellow Wagtail Glasóg Bhuí Oirthearach  Motacilla tschutschensis

Rare vagrant.

One record up to the end of 2020.

2017 Dursey Island, one on the 3rd November.

Global Distribution: Motacilla tschutschensis occurs from Siberia and Transbaikalia south to Mongolia and Manchuria, east to Amurland, Ussuriland, Sakhalin, Kamchatka, northern Kurils and Commander islands, and possibly Pribilofs and Aleutian islands, south to northern Japan (northern Hokkaido), as well as extreme north-western North America (northern and western Alaska, extreme north-western Canada). The species winters in south-eastern Asia (Myanmar and Thailand east to Maly Peninsular, south-eastern China and Taiwan, China), perhaps west to India and east to the Philippines, south to Indonesia, Sundas and Wallacea, and northern Australia. (Source: BirdLife Internatoinal)

 

Citrine Wagtail Glasóg Chiotrónach Motacilla citreola

Rare vagrant.

Nine county records up to the end of 2020.

2016 Lissagriffin, one on the 23rd August.
2015 Ballycotton, a 1st year on the 3rd October.
2007 Lissagriffin, one first-winter, 22nd September.
2005 Lissagriffin, one first-winter, 3rd September.
2004 Ballycotton, one first-winter, 2nd September.
2003 Ballycotton, one first-winter, 14th September.
1993 Ballycotton, one first-winter, 21st September.
1980 Ballycotton, one first-winter, 7th to 12th and 24th September.
1968 Ballycotton, one first-winter, 15th to 16th October. This is the first Irish Record.

Global Distribution: A summer visitor to northern Russia and parts of central and eastern Europe, which accounts for less than a quarter of its global breeding range. Also found in western and central Asia. (Birdlife International)

 

Grey Wagtail Glasóg Liath Motacilla cinerea

Common resident breeding species, with some evidence of passage migration.

Global Distribution: Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia.

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

Pied Wagtail Glasóg Shráide Motacilla alba yarrelli

Common breeding resident species.

The continental subspecies White Wagtail Motacilla alba alba is an uncommon autumn passage migrant.

Global Distribution: Europe, Africa and Asia.

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

 

 

Richard’s Pipit Riabhóg Richard Anthus richardi

Rare vagrant.

75 county records involving 80 individuals up to the end of 2020 since the first was seen on Cape Clear on the 13th October 1961.

Birds have been seen at the following locations: .Ballycotton, Ballymacoda, Ballywilliam, Cape Clear Island, Dursey Island,
Galley Head, Kilcolman NNR, Knockadoon, Lissagriffin, Mizen Head, Near Toe Head, Old Head of Kinsale, Pilmore Strand, Sherkin Island. The majority seen on Cape Clear and Dursey Island.

All were single birds except for one record of two and three together.

Apart from one record in April and December all birds were seen between mid-September and mid-November with almost all in October.

Global Distribution: Richard’s pipit breeds in eastern Asia and migrates to southern Asia for winter. It may also be seen in western Europe in autumn. (Birdlife International)

 

Tawny Pipit Riabhóg Dhonn Anthus campestris

Rare vagrant.

17 county records involving 18 birds up to the end of 2020.

2011 Dursey Island, 16th September.
2010 Ballycotton, one on 23rd April.
2004 Cape Clear Island, a first-winter bird on the 3rd September.
2004 Ballycotton, an adult on the 1st May.
2003 Dursey Island, one on the 24th April.
1996 Pilmore Strand, one from the 18th to the 21st May.
1978 Dursey Island, one on the 14th May.
1976 Cape Clear Island, two from the 25th to the 30th September.
1976 Old Head of Kinsale, one on the 24th September.
1969 Cape Clear Island, one adult on the 10th October.
1969 Cape Clear Island, one immature on the 5th October.
1968 Ballycotton, one on the 20th September.
1966 Cape Clear Island an immature on the 4th September.
1963 Cape Clear Island, an immature on the 17th October.
1962 Cape Clear Island, one on the 27th September.
1961 Cape Clear Island, one on the 12th October.
1959 Cape Clear Island, one on the 9th October.

Distribution: a fairly widespread summer visitor to much of Europe, which accounts for less than half of its global breeding range. (Birdlife International)

 

Olive-backed Pipit Riabhóg Dhroimghlas Anthus hodgsoni

Rare Vagrant.

Eight county records up to the end of 2020.

2016 Firkeel, one on the 19th October 2016
2016 Dursey Island, one on the 10th October.
1993 Cape Clear Island, 17th October.
1992 Dursey Island, 5th October.
1991 Cobh, 23rd to 24th January.
1990 Cape Clear Island, another, 24th October.
1990 Dursey Island, 14th October.
1990 Cape Clear Island, 13th to 14th October.

Global Distribution: A predominantly Asian distribution, but its breeding range extends just west of the Urals into north-east European Russia. (Birdlife International)

 

Tree Pipit Riabhóg Choille Anthus trivialis

Very scarce passage migrant with most seen in the Autumn.

90 county records involving 136 birds up to the end of 1993 when the species was removed from the IRBC rarities list.

Analysis of these records show the following.
Birds were seen at the following locations: .Cape Clear Island (almost all records), Clogher Head, Dursey Island, Galley Head, Knockadoon Head, Old Head of Kinsale, Sherkin Island.
Records usually involve single birds seen on one day with the highest one day count being five at Cape Clear on the 31st August 1987.
About 15% of records were seen between the end of March and mid-May. The rest were seen between August and October.

Global Distribution: a widespread summer visitor to most of Europe, which accounts for less than half of its global breeding range. Breeds in the UK. Also found in Africa and Asia.

 

Pechora Pipit Riabhóg Pechora Anthus gustavi

Rare vagrant.
One county record up to the end of 2020.

1990 Garinish/Firkeel area, West Beara, 27th to 28th September. This is the first Irish record.

Global Distribution: A predominantly Siberian breeding distribution, which extends just west of the Urals into northern European Russia. (Birdlife International)

 

Meadow Pipit Riabhóg Mhóna Anthus pratensis

Common resident breeding species, with numbers increased by both passage migrants and winter visitors.

Global Distribution: This species is widespread across Europe. Its range extends from eastern Greenland (Denmark) in the west, across northern Europe to the central and southern high mountains and to the River Ob, east of the Urals, Russia. Small isolated populations are also found in the central Apennines in Italy and in the mountains along the border of Georgia and Armenia (Hagemeijer and Blair, 1997). Western European populations are largely resident or undertake partial migration (Tyler et al., 2020). Northern and eastern populations winter in western, central and southern Europe into coastal north Africa and the Middle East, moving as far south as south-west Mauritania. Birds breeding in western Siberia migrate to south-west Asia from Iraq and Iran east to Uzbekistan. (Source: BirdLife International)

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

Red-throated Pipit Riabhóg Phíbrua Anthus cervinus

Rare vagrant.

33 county records up to the end of 2022.

2017 Lissagriffin, one on from the 10th to 14th October.
2016 Galley Head, one on the 2nd June.
2013 Mizen Head, one on the 12th October.
2012 Cape Clear, one on 14th October.
2012 Ballycotton, one on 21st October.
2011 Ballycotton 4th November.
2011 Ballycotton, 18th October.
2011 Mizen Head, 15th October.
2011 Dursey Island, 14th October.
2011 Cape Clear Island, 14th/15th October.
2011 Ballymaloe House, 10th October.
2010 Cape Clear Island, 30th October.
2010 Dursey, 10th October.
2010 Cape Clear Island, 10th to 15th October.
2009 Ballycotton, a first-winter from the 8th to the 9th November.
2008 Cape Clear Island, one on the 12th October.
2006 Ballylanders, one on the 16th October.
2007 Three Castles, Mizen Head, one on the 14th October.
2007 Mizen Head, one on the 30th September.
2006 Cape Clear Island, one from the 16th to the 18th October.
2006 Dursey Island, one on the 16th October.
2004 Cape Clear Island, one from the 16th to the 17th October.
1997 Dursey Island, one on the 21st October.
1997 Dursey Island, one on the 17th October.
1994 Galley Head, one on the 15th October.
1994 Dursey Island, one on the 13th October.
1990 Fota Island, one on the 2nd November.
1990 Cape Clear Island, one on the 13th October.
1989 Cape Clear Island, one from the 18th to the 19th October.
1987 Ballycotton, one on the 24th October.
1987 Garretstown, one on the 15th May.
1979 Dursey Island, one on the 23rd October.
1975 Cape Clear Island, one on the 9th October.

Global Distribution: a widespread summer visitor to northern Fennoscandia and Russia,
with Europe accounting for less than a quarter of its global breeding range. Also found in Africa and northern Asia. (Birdlife International)

 

Rock Pipit Riabhóg Chladaigh Anthus petrosus

Common resident breeding species, with some evidence of occasional winter immigration.

Subspecies Scandinavian Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus littoralis
Very Scarce but almost annual in recent years. Five records in 2013, awaiting more information.

Global Distribution: Western Europe and north Africa.

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

 

Water Pipit Riabhóg Uisce Anthus spinoletta

Rare vagrant.

About 30 individuals seen up to the end of 2020, most since 2009.

2014 -2020 Six records.
2013 Shanagarry, one from the 16th January to the 2nd March.
2012 Pilmore Strand, one from the 7th November to the 15th December.
2012 Garretstown, on 4th November.
2010 Seven records, all from the eastern half of the county.
2009 Ballycotton, one from the 10th to the 16th November.
2009 Redbarn Strand, one on the 2nd February.
2007 Pilmore Strand, four form the 15th November to the 20th March 2008. Two from 27th December to last date, peaked at four birds.
2007 Ballycotton, one form the 11th to the 13th November.

Distribution: a fragmented breeding distribution in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe, which accounts for less than a quarter of its global breeding range. Also found in north Africa, Middle East and southern Asia.(Birdlife International)

 

Buff-bellied/American Pipit Riabhóg Tharr-Dhonnbhuí/Meiriceánach  Anthus rubescens

Rare vagrant.

Six county records up to the end of 2020.

2012 Ballycotton, one from the 5th to the 12th November.
2011 Ballycotton, 5th to 12th November.
2010 Pilmore Strand, 1st year, 12th October.
2008 See record below.
2007 Redbarn beach, Youghal, 25th November to 21st March 2008.
2007 Ballycotton, 31st October to 10th November.
2007 Lissagriffin, 5th to 6th October, two, 7th to at least 21st October.

Global Distribution: Breeds in the far north and northwest of North America and winters in southern North America and Central America. (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)