A mizzly, mild day here on Arran on day two of Lockdown. We took our permitted excercise in the village, doing a turn on the village green and along the shore. I spent a bit of time with some pied wagtails who were enjoying the insects flitting above the tideline, the best photos are below. Often overlooked, the pied wagtail is one of our most familiar birds, but it certainly isn’t boring.
1.What’s in a name?
The pied wagtail’s Latin name is Motacilla alba, which means “White Waggling Tail”, our “Pied” version is a subspecies of the White Wagtail found in Europe and Asia. As one of our most distinctive and common wee birds, it has lots of gorgeous country names, including the Gaelic Breac-an-t-sil, meaning “chequered bird of the rain” perhaps describing its love of damp places where insects abound. Other names include the one I grew up with, Willy Wagtail, or Water Wagtail, and the delightful Polly Washdish.
2. What’s with that tail?
The wagtail family Motacilla all have long tails that they flick urgently when active. Its not known exactly why they do this, but it may be to show potential predators that the bird is alert and healthy. The waggling action makes them very easy to spot, and to remember, once you get to know them.
3. What do they eat?
Wagtails like to eat insects both on the ground and in the air. You may see them picking bugs off the front of your car, or attracted to the flies around herbivorous animals and their dung.
4. Where do they live?
Pied wagtails are found in almost any open location where there is water and insects, from urban carparks to highland meadows. In winter, although they don’t completely leave our shores, they leave their breeding territories, moving to warmer climes during the cold months (eg southern England) and often roosting together in their hundreds and even thousands to stay cosy. During this time we get an influx of European birds, particularly from Scandinavia.
5. Nesting and breeding
Wagtails like to nest in holes. They don’t seem to mind nesting in close proximity to humans, often using surprising places such as abandoned machinery and old cars. Once they have found a suitable location, they build a tiny cup shaped nest from grass and lay between three and seven eggs. They will work hard to raise 2-3 broods of chicks a year.
Little Trotty Wagtail by John Clare.
This charming poem by 19th century country poet John Clare captures the essence of the Pied Wagtail beautifully.
Little trotty wagtail, he went in the rain,
And tittering, tottering sideways he near got straight again.
He stooped to get a worm, and look’d up to catch a fly,
And then he flew away ere his feathers they were dry.
Little trotty wagtail, he waddled in the mud,
And left his little footmarks, trample where he would.
He waddled in the water-pudge, and waggle went his tail,
And chirrupt up his wings to dry upon the garden rail.
Little trotty wagtail, you nimble all about,
And in the dimpling water-pudge you waddle in and out;
Your home is nigh at hand, and in the warm pigsty,
So little Master Wagtail, I’ll bid you a goodbye.
