Birds
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba · Codobatură albă
A black, white and grey bird that runs and bobs its long tail on open ground near water and in villages.
At a glance
- Status in Romania
- Migratory
- Habitat
- Wetland / Urban / Meadow
- Activity
- Morning · Daytime
- Diet
- Terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates: insects and larvae, spiders, snails and crustaceans.
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (IUCN)
- Photography difficulty
- Easy to observe
Photography Guide
Practical starting points based on the species’ behaviour and habitat, not fixed rules.
- Where and how to look
- Riverbanks, farmyards and car parks near water.
- Best time / activity
- Morning · Daytime
- Photography difficulty
- Easy to observe
- Starting shutter speed
- 1/1600 sec or faster for running birds.
- Ethics
- Keep away from nests, do not use playback in the breeding season, and let the bird decide how close it comes.
Identification
Slim grey bird with a white face, black cap and bib, and a long, constantly wagging tail.
Habitat
Open and semi-open habitats: wetlands, lake edges and coasts, riverbanks, and human settlements.
Distribution
Breeds across Romania except the high mountains.
Approximate range in Romania
Diet
Terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates: insects and larvae, spiders, snails and crustaceans.
Behaviour
Runs quickly on the ground and makes short sallies after insects.
Seasonality in Romania
Breeds in Romania and is a short-distance migrant. A small number can be seen in winter in the south of the country.
Monthly presence has not yet been source-verified.
Breeding
Breeds from April to August; 3–8 eggs incubated by both parents.