Motacilla flava
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Mass
~20 g
Habitat
Grasslands and meadows
Diet
Insects and invertebrates
How to recognize it
The Western Yellow Wagtail is a slender, active, small-bodied species with a very long tail that keeps moving. On wet meadows or along water, it is often easier to notice by the way it perches on the top of a grass stem and keeps its balance than by its size.
It moves briskly, runs over the ground with ease, and does not sit still for long. Its voice is a thin, sharp jeet, and its habit of flicking that tail is hard to miss.
For nesting, it needs open wet places such as meadows, marshy grassland, river valleys, and low ground with tall grass. It feeds on small insects and other invertebrates, and in most places is present from spring to early autumn before heading south for winter.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
The Western Yellow Wagtail is a slender, active, small-bodied species with a very long tail that keeps moving. On wet meadows or along water, it is often easier to notice by the way it perches on the top of a grass stem and keeps its balance than by its size.
It moves briskly, runs over the ground with ease, and does not sit still for long. Its voice is a thin, sharp jeet, and its habit of flicking that tail is hard to miss.
For nesting, it needs open wet places such as meadows, marshy grassland, river valleys, and low ground with tall grass. It feeds on small insects and other invertebrates, and in most places is present from spring to early autumn before heading south for winter.
