White-Browed Wagtail
Motacilla maderaspatensis
Also known as: Large Pied Wagtail
About This Species
This large wagtail is found along rivers, lakes, and coastal wetlands across the Indian subcontinent, where it forages for insects on rocks, sandbars, and the water's edge with the constant tail-pumping typical of the group. It is often seen singly or in pairs rather than large flocks, and its loud, musical call is a good way to locate it along a riverbank. Dry-season low water levels that expose sandbars and rocky margins tend to offer the best viewing.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- A slow, quiet approach along the riverbank from a few metres away is usually enough to watch it foraging without causing it to fly off repeatedly.
- Wildlife protection laws for wagtails and other native birds exist within India but enforcement and specific provisions can vary by state, so avoid disturbing any bird near a nest and do not attempt to bait it closer with food.
- Give extra space to birds seen carrying food, as they are likely provisioning young nearby.
LCAvesPasseriformesMotacillidae
Seasonal Activity
286,658 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Motacillidae
Photo
(c) SJ Jagadeesh, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.