White Wagtail
Photo: Jac. Janssen from BAARLO LB, NL · CC BY 2.0

Wagtails and Pipits

White Wagtail

Motacilla alba

LCLeast Concern
Family
Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae)
Order
Passeriformes

Overview

The white wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small passerine bird in the family Motacillidae, which also includes pipits and longclaws. The species breeds in the Palearctic zone in most of Europe and Asia and parts of North Africa; it also has a toehold in western Alaska as a scarce breeder. It is resident in the mildest parts of its range, but otherwise migrates to Africa. In total, there are between 9 and 11 subspecies of M. alba; in Ireland and Great Britain, the black-backed subspecies known as the pied wagtail (M. a.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.