BirdUp · Species
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaTunstall, 1771
- Order
- PASSERIFORMES
- Family
- Motacillidae
- Genus
- Motacilla
At a glance
The Grey Wagtail is a small bird, about 18 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.
- Size
- 18 cm
- Origin
- Native
- Best seen
- Year-round
- Commonness
- Very common
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
What does a Grey Wagtail look like?
The Grey Wagtail is a small bird, about 18 cm long and weighing 14–25 g.
The grey wagtail is a member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae, measuring around 18–19 cm overall length. The species looks somewhat similar to the yellow wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. Breeding males have a black throat. The species is widely distributed, with several populations breeding in Eurosiberia and migrating to tropical regions in Asia and Africa. The species is always associated with running water when breeding, although they may use man-made structures near streams for the nest. Outside the breeding season, they may also be seen around lakes, coasts and other watery habitats. Like other wagtails, they frequently wag their tail and fly low with undulations and they have a sharp call that is often given in flight.
Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
03 · When
When to look
When can you see a Grey Wagtail?
The Grey Wagtail is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
05 · Behaviour
Habits and haunts
What does a Grey Wagtail eat?
The Grey Wagtail feeds on terrestrial invertebrates and fish/invertebrates, usually foraging alone.
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