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Motacilla alba
Familiar long-bodied black and white bird, often seen running on ground. Pumps tail up and down. Adult summer male has black cap, nape, throat and upper breast. Face and underparts white while back is grey. Tail has white outer feathers. Winter male has black confined to upper breast only; plumage otherwise similar to summer male but more grubby. Summer female similar to summer male but constrast less intense; winter female and juvenile similar but lose black cap and plumage appears grubby.
Widespread resident, numbers boosted in winter by mirants. Favours open, grassy areas.
It's the same species, mandcreynolds. White wagtails are also called pied wagtails.
Spotted on Nov 7, 2011
Submitted on Nov 19, 2011
