Grey Wagtail

Name: Grey Wagtail

Scientific name: Motacilla cinerea

Category: Birds

Nature Stars: 50

What are nature stars?

About: A common bird of fast flowing rivers, about 18cm long. Grey Wagtails have a very long black and white tail with a yellow rump and yellow on the belly. They are grey above with black wings. Males have a grey face, with a black throat bib and a white 'moust

How to identify: Told from the Pied Wagtail by the yellow around the base of the tail and the grey face. Told from the Yellow Wagtail by the black bib (in males) and the grey back.

Where: Widespread, although least common in the lowalnds of East Anglia and south east England.

Natural Superpowers

• Predator: 50
• Agility: 60
• Rarity: 50
• Cute factor: 60
• Traveller: 60

Fantastic fact: Once much more restricted to fast flowing rivers in the uplands, as the water quality in many of our rivers has been improved in recent decades the Grey Wagtail has expanded its range and can now be found nesting in most parts of the country.

Photograph credit: Photo credit tbc