Wagtails and pipits (Motacillidae)
Pied Wagtail
Motacilla alba
- Length
- 18 cm
- Weight
- 21 g
- Clutch
- 5–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–14 days
- Fledging
- 13–16 days
- Broods
- 2 per year
- Nest box
- Does not use enclosed boxes
Identification
- Black, white and grey
- Wags long tail constantly
'Chis-ick' in flight.
Diet and garden feeding
Insects.
- Best foods: Mealworms.
- Roosts in towns in winter, even in supermarket trees.
Nesting
Crevices in walls and sheds.
Pied Wagtails by country
England
Resident all year · nests April–July
Scotland
Resident all year · nests May–July
Wales
Resident all year · nests April–July
Northern Ireland
Resident all year · nests April–July
Ireland
Resident all year · nests April–July
Netherlands
Resident all year · nests April–July
Belgium
Resident all year · nests April–July
Germany
Summer visitor · nests April–July
France
Resident all year · nests April–July
Denmark
Summer visitor · nests April–July
Sweden
Summer visitor · nests May–July
Norway
Summer visitor · nests May–July
Finland
Summer visitor · nests May–July
Spain
Resident all year · nests March–July
Portugal
Resident all year · nests March–July
Italy
Resident all year · nests March–July
Austria
Summer visitor · nests April–July
Switzerland
Summer visitor · nests April–July
Poland
Summer visitor · nests April–July
Sources
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.