Photo: Yogendra Joshi / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-browed Wagtail
Motacilla maderaspatensis
White-browed Wagtail (Motacilla maderaspatensis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-browed Wagtail (Motacilla maderaspatensis) is a member of the Motacillidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 30.5 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 maderaspatensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 30.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Motacillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-browed Wagtail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rivers and riverside habitats, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The White-browed Wagtail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-browed Wagtail (Motacilla maderaspatensis) belongs to the Motacillidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Indian subcontinent.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 30.5 g, with a wing length of about 9.7 cm and a tail of around 10.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-browed Wagtail?
The White-browed Wagtail is a small bird that weighs around 30.5 g.
Where does the White-browed Wagtail live?
The White-browed Wagtail is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Indian subcontinent, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the White-browed Wagtail belong to?
The White-browed Wagtail (Motacilla maderaspatensis) belongs to the Motacillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-browed Wagtail eat?
The White-browed Wagtail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-browed Wagtail migrate?
The White-browed Wagtail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-browed 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-browed Wagtail make?
1 real field recording of the White-browed Wagtail can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-browed Wagtail's range?
The White-browed Wagtail has a mapped global range of about 2.8 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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