Scientific name: Motacilla cinerea Tunstall, 1771
Bird group: Wagtails
Field characters. 18 cm. Male in breeding plumage with very long, black tail with conspicuous white outer tail feathers, blue-grey upperparts and yellow undertail coverts. Breast yellow in summer, isabelline in winter. Rump greenish-yellow. Male has a whitish stripe above and below the eye; chin and throat black in summer, whitish in winter. Upperparts of female more greenish, with pale throat in summer and winter. Juvenile with grey-brown upperparts and isabelline underparts. Differs from White Wagtail by yellow undertail; from Yellow Wagtail by longer tail, grey head and mantle, narrower supercilium, pale legs and more yellow around tail base. A broad white bar along base of flight-feathers, conspicuous in flight. Flight and behaviour as Yellow Wagtail. Usually occurs in pairs or singly, but in winter on roosting places sometimes in relatively large groups. Nests in holes in walls, underneath bridges, on steep banks, etc.
Voice. Common note is rather higher pitched and more metallic than White Wagtail, with syllables usually perceptibly shorter, 'tittit' or just 'tit'. Song more musical and varied.
Distribution. Rather common, but locally rare. Present throughout year in western Europe, but summer visitor in central Europe and Scandinavia.
Habitat. During breeding season usually found near streams, brooklets, lakes, and canals, with sand- and gravel-banks for foraging, and steep ledges, boulders, fallen trees, dense shrub, etc. for nesting. In winter, also near water, but in wider variety of habitats and even at temporary (rain-) puddles.
Food. Mainly invertebrates, which are caught by pecking or in pursuit, also in air. Also catches small fish and tadpoles.