Wagtails and pipits · Perching birds
Gray Wagtail
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Motacilla cinerea
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Voice
Call
Sonothèque ADVL
Alarm
Noé Ferrari
Song
Sonothèque ADVL
How to recognize it
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17–20 cm, slim, with a very long tail
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Grey upperparts, white flanks, yellow throat and vent
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Breeding male: black throat
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By running water, tail constantly wagging; call sharp and metallic
About the species
The Gray Wagtail keeps moving along the edge of streams and rivers, often flicking its tail as it walks. Its call is sharp and clear, and the flight stays low and wavering.
It feeds by picking insects from the ground or from wet surfaces, usually alone or in pairs. In the breeding season, the male gives a quicker, chipping song during display flights, and the nest is often tucked into cracks, roots, stones, or even man-made structures near running water.
Outside the nesting season, it also uses lakes, coasts, marshes, and other waterside places. Many populations move south for winter, with some staying in warmer parts of their range, and it often shifts to calmer waterways in colder months.
Where to find
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Along fast city streams and canal edges — watch the stone slopes and bridge supports where it darts out to grab insects.
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In spring and summer, check riverfront walkways with clean running water — it trots over wet paving and flicks its tail constantly.
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In winter, look near unfrozen drains and outflows — a sharp metallic call and low wavering flight often give it away.
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Where an old park has a pond linked to a stream or spillway, Gray Wagtail often feeds right at the waterline, staying close to the bank.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Motacilla cinerea Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Grey wagtail Encyclopedia article