Illustration © David Allen Sibley.
Learn more about these drawings.
Text © Kenn Kaufman, adapted from
Lives of North American Birds
Photo: Doug Wechsler/Vireo
Motacilla alba
Conservation status | Small population in Alaska is probably stable. Widespread and abundant in Eurasia. |
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Family | Wagtails and Pipits |
Habitat | Rocky places, towns, rivers. In Alaska, very localized in summer. Seldom on open tundra, usually around low sea cliffs, coastal villages, or shacks on beaches, sometimes on gravel flats of rivers well inland. In the Old World, found in almost any kind of open or semi-open terrain. |
Feeds on ground or along edge of water. Forages by walking and picking up items, by making quick dashes to grab active insects, or by flying up to catch insects in the air. Sometimes walks on floating vegetation or in shallow water.
5-7, sometimes 3-8. Whitish to gray, finely spotted with gray or brown. Incubation is by both parents (female does more), about 12-13 days. Young: Both parents feed nestlings. Young leave nest about 11-16 days after hatching, are tended by parents for up to another week.
Both parents feed nestlings. Young leave nest about 11-16 days after hatching, are tended by parents for up to another week.
Insects. Diet in Alaska not known in detail. In Old World, eats mostly insects, including midges, crane flies, and other flies, beetles, mayflies, dragonfly larvae, caterpillars, moths, and many others. Feeds on a variety of aquatic insect larvae as well as adult insects. Also eats some spiders, earthworms, tiny fish, and seeds.
In courtship, male pursues female. On ground, male points bill up to show off throat pattern, runs in zigzags near female, postures with deep bowing, tail lowered and spread widely; may raise one wing over back. Nest: Natural sites are in crevices among rocks or cliffs; many in Alaska nest in artificial sites, such as abandoned gold dredges, buildings, or empty oil drums, or under debris. Usually nests low. Nest (usually built by both sexes, but female may do more) is open cup of twigs, grass, rootlets, moss, lined with hair and feathers.
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