Pied Wagtail
Characteristics
The pied wagtail is a long-tailed small bird, unmistakable with its bold black, grey and white plumage. The male’s summer plumage has a white forehead, cheeks and belly; jet-black crown, nape, throat, breast, back, flanks, tail and wings, but the tail has white outer feathers and the wings have white wing bars and white edges. The non-breeding male’s winter plumage is greyer.
The female is mostly dark grey but the crown, throat, breast, rump and tail are black. Juveniles are brownish-grey and often tinged with yellow.
Habitat
Pied Wagtails can be found across the UK and are usually found near water in most habitats, even town centres. They gather together in large roosts, often assembling in trees or on roofs. They can also be seen in open places including fields, farmyards, parks, and meadows.
Behaviour
Pied Wagtails can be distinguished by their constant tail wagging. When they are not standing and frantically wagging their tails up and down they can be seen flying over lawns or car parks in search of food. When in flight, the Pied Wagtail utters a high-pitched “chissick” sound.
Pied Wagtails generally feed on insects that it finds when searching lawns, fields and verges. They build their nest in holes in walls, buildings, or old nests of larger birds, using grass and mosses to construct the small cup-shaped nest. The eggs are smooth, pale grey with dark grey spots, and about 20 mm by 15 mm. The male and female take turns incubating the eggs, and both adults feed the young.
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