White-browed Wagtail
Motacilla maderaspatensis
- Family
- Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae)
- Order
- Passeriformes
Overview
The white-browed wagtail or large pied wagtail (Motacilla maderaspatensis) is a medium-sized bird and is the largest member of the wagtail family. They are conspicuously patterned with black above and white below, a prominent white brow, shoulder stripe and outer tail feathers. White-browed wagtails are native to the Indian subcontinent, common near small water bodies and have adapted to urban environments where they often nest on roof tops. The specific name is derived from the Indian city of Madras (now Chennai).
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Himalayas (northern Pakistan to Bangladesh) and peninsular India.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Continents
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: White-browed wagtail
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
