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  1. Species
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  3. Motacillidae
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  5. Motacilla
  6. ›
  7. Eastern Yellow Wagtail
Eastern Yellow Wagtail
Photo · tcager

BirdUp · Species

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla tschutschensisGmelin, JF, 1789

Updated 21 March 2026

Conservation status: Least ConcernOrigin: Native
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Motacillidae
Genus
Motacilla

At a glance

The Eastern Yellow Wagtail is a small bird, about 15–18 cm long, listed as Least Concern and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
15–18 cm
Conservation status
Least Concern
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does an Eastern Yellow Wagtail look like?

The Eastern Yellow Wagtail is a small bird, about 15–18 cm long and weighing 14–22 g.

The eastern yellow wagtail is a small passerine in the wagtail family Motacillidae, which also includes the pipits and longclaws. It was formerly usually classified as a subspecies of the western yellow wagtail, but was split from it in 2003 when genetic data showed this classification to be paraphyletic with respect to the citrine wagtail. It breeds in the eastern Palearctic and Alaska and migrates to South Asia and Australia.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
15–18 cm
Weight
14–22 g
Wingspan
23 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

Field tips

behaviour

  • Look for the diagnostic, rhythmic up-and-down pumping of the long tail whenever the bird is standing or walking.

flight

  • Watch for a deeply undulating, 'rollercoaster' flight pattern where the bird typically calls out during each upward bound.

plumage

  • Breeding males show olive-green upperparts and bright yellow underparts, while females and non-breeding birds have paler underparts where the yellow is often heavily diluted by white.

size_and_shape

  • Note the bird's slender, horizontal silhouette and unusually long tail, accompanied by an entirely black, needle-like bill and black legs.

voice

  • Listen for a characteristic high-pitched, slightly rasping 'zrri' or 'jeet' call, often heard when the bird is flushed or in flight.

03 · When

When to look

When can you see an Eastern Yellow Wagtail?

The Eastern Yellow Wagtail is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

4 photos

The BirdUp app

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Eastern Yellow Wagtail live in Australia?

The Eastern Yellow Wagtail is native to Australia, recorded across 31 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingPAL, NA : east Russia, north-east China and Alaska

Non-breedingSouth-east Asia, Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Breeding
  • Non-breeding

7 regions recorded