Forest Wagtail
Dendronanthus indicus
- Family
- Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae)
- Order
- Passeriformes
Overview
The forest wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus) is a medium-sized passerine bird in the wagtail family Motacillidae. It has a distinctive plumage that sets it apart from other wagtails and has the habit of wagging its tail sideways unlike the usual up and down movements of the other wagtail species. It is the only wagtail species that nests in trees. It is found mainly in forested habitats, breeding in the temperate parts of east Asia and wintering across tropical Asia from India to Indonesia.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds Russian Far East to southeastern China and southern Japan; winters to southern and southeastern Asia.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Forest 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.
