Photo: Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a member of the Motacillidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 23.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Motacillidae Wagtails, Pipits
- Genus Motacilla
- Species alba
Quick facts
- Weight
- 23.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Motacillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White Wagtail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The White Wagtail is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a member of the Motacillidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL widespread, also w Alaska.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 23.9 g, with a wing length of about 8.7 cm and a tail of around 8.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 39.5 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White Wagtail?
The White Wagtail is a small bird that weighs around 23.9 g.
Where does the White Wagtail live?
The White Wagtail is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL widespread, also w Alaska, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the White Wagtail belong to?
The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) belongs to the Motacillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White Wagtail eat?
The White Wagtail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White Wagtail migrate?
The White Wagtail is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the White Wagtail endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the White Wagtail make?
1 real field recording of the White Wagtail — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White Wagtail's range?
The White Wagtail has a mapped global range of about 39.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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