Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinerea
Aves › Passeriformes › Motacillidae › Motacilla
Conservation status: least_concern
This slim wagtail feeds on a variety of aquatic invertebrates including adult flies, mayflies, beetles, crustacea and molluscs.
How To Identify
The Grey Wagtail has a relatively slender build and predominantly soft gray plumage across its body and head. It is instantly recognizable by its bright yellow legs and bill, coupled with a tail that features distinct, conspicuous horizontal black barring.
Habitat
It typically inhabits fast-flowing streams, rivers, and rocky watercourses in mountainous and hilly regions across Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
Behaviour
Grey Wagtails are constantly in motion, walking along rocks and riverbanks with jerky movements while repeatedly bobbing their long tail up and down, and they catch insects in flight with acrobatic dives.
Native Range
The grey wagtail is widely distributed across the Palearctic region with populations found in western Europe Scandinavia the Mediterranean region eastern Europe central Asia and along the Himalayas.
Did You Know?
Grey Wagtails have longer tails than most wagtail species and use them as a counterbalance while bobbing on rocks in fast-flowing streams. Their tail can comprise up to half their total body length.
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