A common and familiar bird, the pied wagtail is often seen in towns and cities, dashing across lawns, roads and car parks while wagging its long tail up and down. Pied wagtails eat insects, but will feed on seeds and even rubbish in winter. They flock together at warm roost sites like reedbeds and sewage works or trees and bushes in city centres. In summer, they defend breeding territories and will nest in ivy, under roofs, in walls, between stones ... in all kinds of places!
How to identify
The pied wagtail is a familiar black-and-white bird, with a white face, white belly and white bars on the wings. The other two breeding species of wagtail in the UK both have yellow underparts.
Did you know?
Although they usually live life in the fast lane, the maximum recorded age for a pied wagtail is 11 years and 3 months.
