Birds · Passeriformes · Motacillidae

Grey Wagtail

Motacilla cinerea

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

A long-tailed wagtail, with a grey back and a yellow rump, which separates it from the yellow wagtail, whose back is greenish. It is more slender and longer-tailed than its Iberian relatives.

Weight

17 g on average

Size

19 cm on average

Lifespan

3 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

MountainFreshwaterInsectivore Diurnal In pairs Bird Mountain Freshwater

45countries 236parks6same family

Fun facts

GeneralAlways tied to running water; it bobs its tail constantly on the stones.
It is the wagtail most tied to running water: it prefers stretches of river with rapids and waterfalls, which is where its Spanish name comes from.
It goes higher than the yellow wagtail: it can live up to 2,000 m, while that species does not usually pass 800.
It often shares its habitat with the white wagtail, with which it is confused at a distance.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Fast rivers, mountain streams and mill races
Size at birth: Altricial: born naked, blind and entirely dependent
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 11-14 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 4-6 eggs per clutch, often with two clutches a year

Sources consulted: IUCN Red List; SEO/BirdLife (ficha); Waste Magazine; Fauna Ibérica; Vertebrados Ibéricos; ACBC Canaria; Yang et al. 2022, ZooKeys 1109; Tunstall 1771