(motacilla alba yarrellii)
The pied wagtail is a subspecies of Motacilla alba, or white wagtails and is the most common wagtail species in Britain.
Description
The pied wagtail is a black, grey and white passerine bird with a length of around 18 cm and a wingspan of around 8 cm. This bird has a white face with a black beard-like patch of feathers, and black feathers in it’s back.
True to their name, these birds can usually be seen wagging their tails up and down.
They tend to live near water and favour farmland and grassland habitats, but may also be spotted in more urban areas.
Interactions and behaviour
Pied wagtails have an insectivorous diet, but may also eat seeds in the winter when food is scarce.
The use of the movement of pied- and other wagtails is not fully known. However, some possible reasons for the bobbing of their tails may be to disturb and bring out insects to eat, as a social signal, to attract a mate, or to signal their attentiveness to their predators.
Folklore
Other names for these birds include “peggy dishwasher”, possibly related to their wagging movement being compared to the motions of washing dishes.
