Yellow Wagtail
(Motacilla flava)
Alert Status: Red - 72% decline
Identifying Features: The yellow wagtail is a small, graceful, yellow and green bird, with a medium-length tail and slender black legs. It spends much time walking or running on the ground. As its name implies, it wags its tail from time to time.
Average Length: 15-16 cm
Average Lifespan: 3 years
Average Wingspan: 23-27 cm
Beak type: Insects
Feeding:
Natural: Flies and other small insects
Nesting: The female builds the nest, which is either on the ground in a hollow or in thick grass. The nest is cup-shaped and made from grass, plant stems and roots, with a lining of hair or fur.
Where to see: You find yellow wagtails in suitable habitat in central and eastern England, eastern Wales and southern Scotland. A good place to look is lowland grassland where cattle are being grazed.
.jpg)
Fascinating Facts
This small and graceful bird is a summer visitor, arriving from its African wintering grounds from March onwards. The yellow wagtail enjoys damp marshes, meadows and farmland and spends a lot of its time on the ground, chasing small insects, including flies and beetles, that have been disturbed by livestock.
Breeding in a variety of habitats such as arable farmland, wet pastures and upland hay meadows, the yellow wagtail nests on the ground, often in a hollow or partly sheltered by a clod of earth. They will use plants and grasses to build a cup shaped nest which is then lined with hair, fur or wool. They can have up to two broods, laying five or six eggs each time.
An obvious trait that has given these birds their name, is the near constant tail wagging. The reasons for this behaviour are poorly understood, however it has been suggested that it could be to flush up insects from the ground. Another thought is that it may signal submissiveness to other wagtails. Interestingly, recent studies have suggested instead that it is a signal of vigilance that may aid to deter potential predators.
There are eight different subspecies of yellow wagtail found in Europe, differing in the colour of the males heads. For example, in France and Germany, you will find the blue-headed wagtail, and in Italy, the grey-headed wagtail. The species of yellow wagtail found in the UK during the summer months has the scientific name of Motacilla flava flavissima, meaning the most yellow of yellows.
The male is a fantastic-looking bird with striking yellow underparts that extend up to the face, with greenish-yellow upper parts. Females and juveniles are less brightly coloured and can easily be confused with other wagtail species.