The plumage is mainly black and white, often with gray or yellow. Wagtails feed mainly on insects that they pick up from vegetation, the ground, or snatch in midair after an acrobatic chase. Many species live by water. For example, the gray wagtail lives by mountain streams, and the yellow wagtail lives near water meadows and marshes. The pied wagtail is frequently seen around farm buildings.
Wagtails build a deep cup-shaped nest of grasses and rootlets on the ground.
They may also build in a cavity between rocks or in a wall. Wagtails migrate to warm areas in the winter. Wagtails belong to the family Motacillidae. The gray wagtail is Motacilla cinerea, the yellow wagtail is M. flava, and the pied wagtail is M. alba. How to cite this article.