Wagtails & Pipits

White Wagtail

Bachstelze

Motacilla alba

Wagtails & Pipits5 photosFirst seen: 4 September 2026

The White Wagtail is a widespread Eurasian wagtail that walks and runs across open ground while continuously pumping its long tail. It readily uses human-made shorelines, roofs and paved areas as well as natural riverbanks.

ID tip: The black, white and grey plumage and very long black-and-white tail are distinctive. Juveniles are greyer and less sharply patterned, but keep the white wing-bars and constant tail movement.

First seen: 4 September 2026 · Lake Skadar · 5 photos in the collection.

Places in my records

Locations where this species is supported by a dated first record, an unambiguous single-place outing or a reviewed assignment.

Lake Skadar4 September 2026 Ulcinj Salt Flats6 September 2026

Family: Wagtails & Pipits (Motacillidae)
Length: 16.5–19 cm
Wingspan: 25–30 cm
Regional status: Year-round resident (Montenegro)
Conservation: Least Concern LCIUCN Red List · retrieved 5 September 2026
Habitat: Open ground near water, shorelines, farmland, towns and gardens
Diet: Small insects and other invertebrates

Built from verified occurrence records, not drawn by hand. Core range = the countries holding 99% of all records; the rest are scattered or vagrant records. Record counts track where people watch birds as much as where the birds are, so the map shows presence, not abundance. Data: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). Basemap: Natural Earth.

White Wagtail

Places in my records

Selected photographs