Photo: Alnus / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Forest Wagtail
Dendronanthus indicus
Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus) is a member of the Motacillidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 16.4 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 Dendronanthus
- Species indicus
Where it lives
Southeastern Russia and northeastern China to southeastern China
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Motacillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Forest Wagtail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Forest Wagtail is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus) belongs to the Motacillidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL se Russia and ne China to se China.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16.4 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 6.7 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 3.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Forest Wagtail?
The Forest Wagtail is a small bird that weighs around 16.4 g.
Where does the Forest Wagtail live?
The Forest Wagtail is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL se Russia and ne China to se China, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Forest Wagtail belong to?
The Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus) belongs to the Motacillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Forest Wagtail eat?
The Forest Wagtail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Forest Wagtail migrate?
The Forest Wagtail is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Forest 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 Forest Wagtail make?
1 real field recording of the Forest Wagtail — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Forest Wagtail's range?
The Forest Wagtail has a mapped global range of about 3.8 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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