Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Known for its vibrant yellow underparts and lively tail-wagging habit, this cheerful little bird bobs and weaves through meadows and wetlands across the globe.

Share this bird:

Visual Identification

Appearance

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.

Size

Length

15cm to 17cm

Wingspan

23cm to 27cm

Weight

15g to 25g

Colours

Male Female

Primary Colour

Yellow Olive

Secondary Colour

White Grey

Beak Colour

Black Grey

Leg Colour

Black

Primary Colour (Female)

Brown Olive

Secondary Colour (Female)

White Yellow

Beak Colour (Female)

Black Grey

Leg Colour (Female)

Black

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Yellow Wagtail can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Yellow Wagtail can be found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Yellow Wagtail can be found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Yellow Wagtail is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

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.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 4,500 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subtropical, Tropical

Distribution Map

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