Wagtail

Wagtail, common name for any of several songbirds, widely distributed in Eurasia. They are about 20 cm (8 in) long with mainly black and white plumage. Two species, the black-and-white pied wagtail and the yellow wagtail, nest in the north, but normally migrate southward; one subspecies of each breeds in Britain. The slightly larger grey wagtail has a grey head and back, with a black throat (in summer) and yellowish underparts. Wagtails are almost exclusively terrestrial in habits and feed on insects. Most frequent open and well-cultivated districts, where they are found on banks of streams and ponds and in pastures, usually walking about while pumping their tails up and down. The pied wagtail is often seen in parks and gardens in western Europe.

Scientific classification: Wagtails belong to the family Motacillidae of the order Passeriformes. The pied wagtail is classified as Motacilla alba, the yellow wagtail as Motacilla flava, and the grey wagtail as Motacilla cinerea.