Listen to the white wagtail
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the white wagtail
The white wagtail is a bird in the family Motacillidae (order Passeriformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”. Adults have a wingspan of about 26 cm.
What does the white wagtail sound like?
Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round. Listening for both helps with identification.
The recordings here are labelled as call and song. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
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. yarrellii) predominates.
The white wagtail is an insectivorous bird of open country, often near habitation and water. It prefers bare areas for feeding, where it can see and pursue its prey. In urban areas, it has adapted to foraging on paved areas such as car parks. It nests in crevices in stone walls and similar natural and human-made structures.
Related birds in the genus Motacilla
More from the family Motacillidae
Frequently asked questions
What does a white wagtail sound like?
You can hear 2 recordings of the white wagtail on this page, including its call and song. Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round.
Is the white wagtail endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the white wagtail as “least concern”.
What family does the white wagtail belong to?
The white wagtail (Motacilla alba) belongs to the family Motacillidae in the order Passeriformes.
Sources & credits
- Call, song · Yverdon-les-Bains, Vaud, Switzerland by Pascal Christe – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Call · Puotila, Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland by Hannu Varkki – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q25399 – CC0
- Wikipedia: White wagtail – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by Jac. Janssen from BAARLO LB, NL – CC BY 2.0