Wagtails (Motacillidae) are relatively small, slender songbirds with long tails and pointed bills. The shape of their bills betrays that wagtails are insectivorous. They feed exclusively on small invertebrates, mainly insects. Members of the wagtail family commonly stay on the ground, where they search for food and also nest. They are migratory, only populations in the southern and western parts of Europe are resident. In the wagtail family we include two genera of birds that live in Europe. These are pipits (Anthus) and wagtails (Motacilla).
Pipits are less contrastingly colored; on the back and wings brownish tones predominate, the ventral side is white. Stripes on the chest and back are emphasized differently among species. They build nests on the ground among clumps of grass. It is characteristic of pipits that they sing during their typical flight – similar to a skylark.
Wagtails are more boldly colored and more varied in color than pipits, their songs are simpler. They are immediately recognizable by their very long tail, which they constantly raise and lower in rhythm. They weave their nests in tree holes or in the cover of impenetrable vegetation.
