Pied wagtail (Motacilla alba)

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Motacillidae

Genus: Motacilla

Species: Motacilla alba

Distribution and habitat

Occurs in a wide variety of open places including fields, farmyards, parks, meadows, and shows a preference to the vicinity of water. In winter large communual roosts gather in city centre trees or buildings or on industrial rooftops.

These birds are found throughout the whole of Europe, though they are only sighted in Scandinavia and Iceland during the summer. They are also seen in North Africa.

Description, identification

Familiar black and white wagtail; widespread resident of open habitats with and without water. Common sub-species in British Isles is M.a. yarrellii. Male mainly black above with white face, white margins to flight feathers and white outer tail. Black bib terminates in broad black breast band; remaining underparts white. Female similar but with slate-grey back. Juveniles and first winter birds have grey backs and resemble Continental sub-species M.a.alba, known as White Wagtail. Similar to Pied, but with uniform pale grey back.

Status: widespread resident, but summer visitor Scandinavia and eastern Europe.

Diet and feeding

The exact composition of the diet of White Wagtails varies by location, but terrestrial and aquatic insects and other small invertebrates form the major part of the diet. These range from beetles, dragonflies, small snails, spiders, worms, crustaceans, to maggots found in carcasses and, most importantly, flies in the order Diptera. Small fish fry have also been recorded in the diet. The White Wagtail is somewhat unusual in the parts of it range where it is non-migratory as it is an insectivorous bird that continues to feed on insects during the winter (most other insectivorous birds in temperate climates migrate or switch to more vegetable matter)

 Behaviour

The most conspicuous habit of this species is a near-constant tail wagging, a trait that has given the species, and indeed the genus, its common name. In spite of the ubiquity of this behaviour, the reasons for it are poorly understood. It has been suggested that it may flush prey, or signal submissiveness to other wagtails. A recent study has suggested instead that it is a signal of vigilance to potential predators.

Breeding

In summer, pied wagtails defend breeding territories; the nest is built beneath roof tiles, in walls, amongst ivy, or beneath stones and five or six eggs are produced. These are incubated for 12−13 days and the young will have fledged by 15 days of age.

Endangered species 

The bird is in the high conservation value category with a 10 thousands HUF fine.