Yellow Wagtail Bird Facts (Motacilla flava)

The Yellow Wagtail is a slender, long-tailed bird with a distinctive yellow underside. Males in breeding plumage have a bright yellow face and underparts, olive-green upperparts, and a dark head that varies in colour depending on the subspecies.

Females and non-breeding males are duller, with olive-brown upperparts and pale yellow underparts. Juveniles are even more subdued, with buff-tinged plumage and dark spots on the breast.

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Garden habitats.

The Yellow Wagtail can be found in Wetland habitats.

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Urban habitats.

The Yellow Wagtail can be found in Farmland habitats.

The Yellow Wagtail can be found in Grassland habitats.

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Desert habitats.

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Yellow Wagtails inhabit open areas near water, including wet meadows, marshes, and agricultural fields. They breed across Europe and Asia, from Iceland to Siberia.

During winter, they migrate to Africa, southern Asia, and parts of Australia. In the UK, they are summer visitors, arriving in April and departing by October, with some passage migrants seen in coastal areas.

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Yellow Wagtail. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons

Species that pass through the area during migration

Bahrain Bhutan Iraq Kuwait Malta Nepal Qatar Saudi Arabia

Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range

Cape Verde Comoros Faroe Islands Iceland Maldives Seychelles Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

The Yellow Wagtail displays remarkable agility, evident in its quick running across open ground and constant tail-wagging behaviour. Its ability to chase insects and perform aerial displays during breeding season further demonstrates its nimbleness.

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

As a small bird weighing between 15-25 grams, the Yellow Wagtail has limited strength. However, it possesses sufficient power for its size to perform necessary tasks such as foraging and migration.

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

This species shows considerable adaptability, inhabiting a wide range of open habitats from sea level to 4,500 metres elevation. Its ability to thrive in various climates and its long-distance migration capabilities indicate strong adaptive traits.

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

Yellow Wagtails are not particularly aggressive birds. They are gregarious, forming large flocks during migration and winter. However, males may display some territorial behaviour during breeding season, hence the moderate score.

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

The endurance of the Yellow Wagtail is impressive, particularly considering its long-distance migration between Europe/Asia and Africa/southern Asia. Its ability to undertake such journeys and forage actively throughout the day suggests high stamina.

Yellow Wagtails primarily feed on small insects and invertebrates. They forage on the ground, often following grazing animals to catch disturbed insects. Their diet includes flies, beetles, moths, and small aquatic invertebrates found in their wetland habitats.

Yellow Wagtails are known for their constant tail-wagging behaviour, which gives them their name. They are often seen running quickly across open ground, chasing insects.

These birds are gregarious, forming large flocks during migration and in winter roosts.

The Yellow Wagtail's call is a sharp, high-pitched 'tslee-tslee' or 'tswee-tswee', often given in flight.

Their song, typically delivered from a perch or during display flights, is a series of twittering notes and trills, sometimes described as 'tsirrup-tsirrup-tsirrup'.

Breeding occurs from late April to August. Males perform aerial displays to attract females, singing while flying in circles.

Nests are built on the ground, often concealed in dense vegetation. They are cup-shaped structures made of grass, leaves, and moss, lined with finer materials. Females typically lay 4-6 eggs, which are pale grey or cream with dark speckles.

Incubation lasts about 11-13 days, primarily by the female. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge after 10-14 days but remain dependent on adults for another two weeks.

The Yellow Wagtail typically lives for 3 years, with a maximum recorded lifespan of 8.8 years.

Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.

While listed as Least Concern globally, Yellow Wagtail populations are declining in parts of Europe due to habitat loss and agricultural intensification.

Conservation efforts focus on preserving wetlands and promoting wildlife-friendly farming practices.

Look for them in open, damp habitats like meadows and marshes
Listen for their distinctive 'tslee-tslee' call in flight
Observe their characteristic tail-wagging behaviour
In the UK, watch for them in coastal areas during spring and autumn migrations

Main predators include birds of prey such as Sparrowhawks and Merlins, as well as ground predators like foxes and domestic cats.

Yellow Wagtails can walk underwater to catch aquatic insects.
There are at least 13 recognised subspecies, each with distinct head colouration in males.
They often roost communally in reedbeds, sometimes with other wagtail species.

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