The appearance of written communication in historic instances facilitated a surge in record-keeping. Historic students and intellectuals wrote down each minuscule element of medieval life swirling round them, together with – you guessed it – birds. These written data persevered in locations that survived conquest, extermination, and deliberate erasure. Some could have been in fragments that have been later pieced collectively, whereas others have been periodically revised and republished over the course of centuries.
It’s not widespread data that birding was a factor again then, and possibly there wasn’t a uncommon chook alert system in place but – however the place there are birds, there’ll invariably be individuals who will take a look at them. On this quiet, medieval setting of historic Rome, a chook was described by Varro Reatinus as “quod semper movet caudam“, or one “which at all times wags its tail”. In historic Greece, Hesychius of Alexandria makes a number of references to this identical, clearly affable chook that curiously swished its tail because it went about its enterprise.
Numerous phrases in the end mixed and have been condensed to “motacilla” or “little shaker”; in its modern type we have now Motacillidae, or the household of pipits and – certainly you will need to have already recognized by this level – wagtails.
Inside this household there are numerous genera unfold concerning the globe, with “Motacilla” reappearing because the group of pure wagtails, together with those that captivated human eyes centuries in the past. I’ve not completed a complete lot of birding in Europe, however I did cross paths with a couple of White Wagtails whereas in Portugal final yr – which stays one of many best-studied birds on Earth. I sat on a bench and checked out a pair of the formally clad birds poke round amongst a small group of Eurasian Magpies, not not like my bird-loving predecessors. The three wagtails talked about within the title of this put up, nevertheless, are referring to the three resident African wagtails.
Many people visiting the African continent will come into contact with the pretty ubiquitous and distinctive African Pied Wagtail. As many members of its household are, this species is comparatively tolerant of human exercise, and may usually be seen inside metropolis areas. They usually favor extra humid and moist areas, as a good portion of their weight-reduction plan consists of small invertebrates that additionally depend upon our bodies of water. The African Pied Wagtail is the one purely black and white wagtail on the continent.
An African Pied Wagtail perched over a river, Tsavo West Nationwide Park.
It appears as if the Mountain Wagtail was named for the place it was solely often discovered, because it seems this chook isn’t totally discerning in the case of altitude. The important thing to its existence lies not in what number of metres the land lies above sea degree, however how steep the gradient is. Water can also be important to the existence of the Mountain Wagtail; it’s virtually at all times discovered close to rocky, quick flowing streams with waterfalls – a characteristic little doubt made attainable by sheer slopes. The Mountain Wagtail has a disjointed distribution throughout south, east, and west Africa, the place it may be reliably differentiated from different resident wagtails by its slim, and slightly elegant, black necklace on a pure white and gray physique.
A Mountain Wagtail on the slopes of an precise mountain: Mount Kenya.
As its identify implies, the Cape Wagtail happens all through southern Africa, the place it may be discovered close to water. Very similar to the African Pied Wagtail, the Cape Wagtail usually ventures close to villages and gardens wherever there may be water – however it’s this accepting solely on this a part of its vary. Additional north, it tends to keep away from city areas, as an alternative preferring to prowl river banks and forested streams together with rural wetland ecosystems. Whereas the Cape Wagtail may be seen alongside coastlines on the southern finish of its vary, on the northern finish of its distribution it tends to happen solely within the highlands. In Kenya, for instance, it’s only reliably discovered above 2000m within the central highlands.
Not within the cape, however nonetheless a Cape Wagtail, Kinangop.
Palearctic migrant wagtails complement this choice through the boreal winter, most of the additions being in drab, winter plumage for many of their keep on the continent. Please see David’s glorious piece protecting a number of sorts of wagtail right here. No matter species, wagtails are all charismatic and fascinating little birds that additionally give us a very good indication of aquatic ecosystem well being. Their confidence and adaptableness undoubtedly continues to serve them nicely as their populations are comparatively secure, all however two wagtails are evaluated as Least Concern. Additionally, particular point out should be made of fine ol’ Willie-wagtail which, sadly, isn’t a wagtail in any respect.
The Willie-wagtail is definitely a fantail – slight distinction – a household distributed all through Australasia and South Asia. I’m additionally undecided the place the “Willie” half comes from, however we are able to theorise.
