BUDYTES CITREOLOIDES, M
Yellow-headed Wagtail.
Budytes citreoloides, Ilodgs. in Gray’s Zool. Misc., 1844, p. 83.
calcar a tus, Hodgs. Asiat. Res., vol. xix. p. 190 ?—Gray, Cat. of Spec, and Draw, of Mamin, and Birds
presented to Brit. Mus. by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., p. 76 ?
citreola, Jerd. Madras Joum. of Lit. and Sei., vol. xi. p. 9—Sykes in Proc. of Comm, of Sei. and Corr. of
Zool. Soc., part ii. p. 90.—Blyth, Joum. of Asiat. Soc. Beng., vol. xvi. p. 429.—Id. Cat. of Birds in
Mus. Asiat.Soc. Calcutta,p.138.—Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av.,p. 280, Budytes, sp. 6 —Horsf. and Moore,
Cat. of. Birds in Mus. East-Ind. Comp. vol. ii. p. 352.—Jerd. Birds of India, vol. ii. pt. i. p. 225, and
vol. ii. pt. ii. p. 873.—Adams in Proc. of Zool. Soc., pt. xxvi. 1858, p. 486. •
Motacilla citreola, Gould, Birds of Europe, vol. ii. pi. 144.
Zurcha, Cabul (Blyth).
D r. von M id d e n d o r f has ventured an opinion that the bird I have figured on the 144th Plate of my
‘ Birds of Europe ’ as the female of Budytes citreola is different from that described by Pallas under the
name of Motacilla citreola. I regret to say that, as there are no Russian specimens in this country, I am
unable to institute a comparison and determine whether this be really the case or not. Mr. Jerdon, in his
recently published ‘ Birds of India,’ has treated the Indian bird as identical with the Siberian, but, in a note
at the end of the concluding volume, says, the former, “ writes Mr. Blyth, is distinct from Budytes citreola
vera, and will stand as B . citreoloides, Hodgs.” If this be the true state of the case, I was in error in
employing the specific term citreola for the birds represented in the ‘ Birds of Europe,’ my figures having
been taken from Indian examples.
The Plate which I now publish contains a correct representation of two fully adult birds, in summer
plumage, which were killed on the peninsula of India, and for which I have retained Mr. Hodgson’s name
o f B . citreoloides. I may remark that all the specimens from India with bright yellow heads do not at
the same time possess such jet-black backs as shown in the lower figure in my P la te : this latter hue
seems to be seasonal, and is doubtless characteristic of the male in the nuptial dress ; for I have specimens
with rich-yellow heads in which the back is grey, while in others it is partly grey and partly black. Little
has been recorded respecting the habits and economy of this beautiful bird. Col. Sykes informs us that it
has the habits, manners, aspect, and size of B . melanocephala, and that, like that species, it is solitary, and
only found in the vicinity o f rivers ; but he never saw the two birds in company. Larvae of insects and
greenish mud were found in the stomachs of those he examined. He believes that this species, together
with B . melanocephala and B . Beema, all possessing the long hind claw, do not habitually perch, but, like
other birds furnished with a similar claw, nocturnate on the ground.
“ This migratory species,” says Mr. Jerdon, “ which is remarkable for the great length of its hind claw,
is found over all parts of India, during the cold weather. It is not very abundant, and is never found in
dry places, like the Budytes viridis, but on the banks of rivers and lakes, and more particularly in swampy
ground or in inundated rice-fields, apparently affecting concealment more tliau the other species of this
group. I t has been seen in its breeding-plumage at Mussooree, and is then a very beautiful bird.”
Dr. Leith Adams observes that this bird is common in the Deccan, Punjab, and Scinde, and is equally
numerous in marshes and wet situations in the Valley of Cashmere, and in all similar places in Ladakh.
In the full breeding-plumage, the head, neck, breast, and under surface is rich yellow, with a wash of
olivaceous on the flanks ; back jet-black; wings dull black ; the primaries edged with grey, and the tertiaries
margined with white ; wing-coverts black, broadly tipped with white, forming two bands across the wing;
under tail-coverts yellowish white; tail black, with the outermost feathers on each side white, excepting
a portion of their inner web and the extreme base of the outer ; bill and feet black ; irides brown.
The female has the head, and those parts which are black in the male, of a dark grey hue, a stripe of
yellow over the eye, and the white margins to the wing-feathers less defined.
Young birds have the upper surface brownish g rey ; under surface dingy white, with a tinge of yellow in
some specimens, and a gorget of dusky sp o ts; less white on the wing; and a streak above the eye, forehead,
chin, and ear-coverts yellow.
The Plate represents the two sexes, of the size of life.