YELLOW WAGTAIL
This striking bird is 150 to 160mm in length, with the constant wagging tail, synonymous with wagtails. Yellow wagtails have olive green backs and bright yellow underparts, with long black, spindly legs. The breeding males have different colouration on their heads, depending on where in Europe, they originate from. Here I have seen birds from central Europe, with grey heads and a distinct white eye stripe, as well as the black headed Balkan, variation. Females are similar to the males but have duller plumage.
Yellow wagtails overwinter in tropical Africa or Asia but migrate here in the Spring for breeding. On Kefalonia, they can be found around pools, reservoirs and damp grassy fields. They employ similar hunting strategies to cattle egrets, in that they follow large mammals and capture the insects that are disturbed by the beasts. The yellow wagtails' nests are grassy cups in vegetation on the ground, with 5 to 6 eggs being laid. If there is an abundance of insects, 2 broods are common.
