AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

307. Motacilla melanocephala

307. BLACK-HEADED WAGTAIL.
MOTACILLA MELANOCEPHALA.
Motacilla melanocephala, Licht. Verz. Doubl. p. 36 (1823) ; Naum. xiii. pt. 2. p. 125, Taf. 374 ; Dresser, iii. p. 273, pl. 100 ; M. feldeggi, Michah. Isis. 1830, p. 814 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. x. p. 527, pl. viii. figs. 1-5 ; M. paradoxa, Brehm. Vogelf. p. 142 (1855) ; Sharpe, tom. cit. p. 531.
Cutti-capo-nero, Ital.
Male ad. (Asia, Minor). Differs from M. flava in having the crown, nape and sides of head deep glossy black, the back deeper green, and the under parts, including the chin and throat deeper yellow. Culmen 0.55, wing 3.2, tail 2.9, tarsus 1.0 inch.
Hab. South-eastern Europe ; Central Asia, Persia, wintering in Africa and India.
In general habits it does not differ from M. flaw., but is said to affect the vicinity of salt water. Its nest and eggs resemble also those of M. flava, but the eggs are rather darker and browner in tinge of colour.
Some specimens have a faint white supercilium, and these have been separated under the name M. paradoxa (Brehm) (cf. Sharpe tom. cit. p. 531, pl. viii, fig. 5), but after an examina¬tion of a large series of specimens I cannot concur in this view.

BookTitle: 
A Manual Of Palaearctic Birds
Reference: 
Dresser, Henry Eeles. A Manual of Palaearctic Birds. Vol. 1. 1902.
Title in Book: 
307. Motacilla melanocephala
Book Author: 
H. E. Dresser
CatNo: 
307
Year: 
1902
Page No: 
207
Common name: 
Black Headed Wagtail
M_ID: 
25186
M_CN: 
Sardinian Warbler
M_SN: 
Sylvia melanocephala
Volume: 
Vol. 1
id: 
10047

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