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White-browed Wagtail

Larks, Pipits & Wagtails

Photo: Yogendra Joshi · CC BY 2.0 (May be cropped or resized)

Motacilla maderaspatensis

Basic stats

Habitat

Near water; cup nest on the ground or rocks in a hole, ledge or mud bank, always close to water; in most of India below 1,000m

Range

Endemic to the Indian subcontinent

Clutch size

Normally 4 eggs, 3–5

Size

21cm

The white-browed wagtail, or large pied wagtail, is the largest wagtail, 21cm long, conspicuously patterned black above and white below, with a prominent white brow, shoulder stripe and outer tail feathers. Unlike the white wagtail it never has white on the forehead. The female has the black less intense than the male (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is a resident breeder endemic to the Indian subcontinent, common near small water bodies, and has adapted to urban environments where it often nests on rooftops. It is usually seen in pairs or small groups near open water, and the usual call is a wheezy 'wheech'. The breeding season is March to October, with normally four eggs. The account opened does not name Bhutan, so its occurrence there is flagged for checking.

Quick answers

What habitat does the White-browed Wagtail live in?
Near water; cup nest on the ground or rocks in a hole, ledge or mud bank, always close to water; in most of India below 1,000m
Where is the White-browed Wagtail found?
Endemic to the Indian subcontinent
How many eggs does the White-browed Wagtail lay?
Normally 4 eggs, 3–5
How big is the White-browed Wagtail?
21cm
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