Gray Wagtail

Overview

Gray Wagtail: Medium wagtail with black throat, blue-gray upperparts, brilliant yellow underparts. Distinct white eye-line and long malar stripe stand out against dark face. Bill is black. Legs and feet are pink. Tail is long, black, and white-edged. Has the longest tail of the European wagtails.

Range and Habitat

Gray Wagtail: Rare to casual on the western Aleutians, Pribilofs, and St. Lawrence islands; accidental in California. Preferred habitats include upland streams and vicinities, rocky places or cliffs, and lakes and rivers.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Gray Wagtail was first described by Marmaduke Tunstall in his 1771 Ornithologia Britannica.
It is the longest tailed of the European wagtails.
This is an insectivorous bird of fast flowing streams, although in winter it will move to slower flowing lowland waters.
A group of wagtails are collectively known as a "flock" of wagtails.

The Gray Wagtail is a small passerine bird belonging to the wagtail family, first described in 1771. Breeding grounds of the Gray Wagtail span throughout temperate Europe, Asia and north Africa. In the milder climate regions, this species is a resident all year long. These are typically located in western Europe. However, those in colder climates migrate in winter months to Africa, South Asia and New Guinea. Nests are built in crevices on cliffs and rocks. The diet of this species consists of insects caught in fast flowing streams during the summer and slower flowing streams in the winter. The conservation status of the Gray Wagtail is Least Concern.