Silhouette: Martin Bulla, based on Ren Hathway's illustration · PhyloPic

Grey Wagtail

Motacilla cinerea

Silhouette: Martin Bulla, based on Ren Hathway's illustration · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyMotacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)
GenusMotacilla (Wagtails)
SpeciesMotacilla cinerea (Grey Wagtail)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Nyungwe National Park

1 Verified sightings at Nyungwe National Park From 2019 to 2026

23,366 Verified sightings across all 93 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Grey Wagtail

The grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) is a member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae, measuring around 18–19 cm overall length. The species looks somewhat similar to the yellow wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. Breeding males have a black throat. The species is widely distributed, with several populations breeding in Eurosiberia and migrating to tropical regions in Asia and Africa. The species is always associated with running water when breeding, although they may use man-made structures near streams for the nest. Outside the breeding season, they may also be seen around lakes, coasts and other watery habitats. Like other wagtails, they frequently wag their tail and fly low with undulations and they have a sharp call that is often given in flight.

The binomial name of the grey wagtail Motacilla cinerea was introduced by Marmaduke Tunstall in his 1771 publication Ornithologia Britannica. Motacilla is the Latin name for the pied wagtail; although actually a diminutive of motare, "to move about", from medieval times it led to the misunderstanding of cilla as "tail". The specific cinerea is Latin for "ash-grey... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Nyungwe National Park

Motacilla aguimp

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Motacilla capensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Motacilla clara

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Motacilla flava

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Anthus cinnamomeus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Anthus leucophrys

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Anthus similis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Anthus trivialis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Anthus lineiventris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Cisticola chubbi

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Pycnonotus barbatus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Zosterops stuhlmanni

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Horton Plains National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~60%
2	Plitvice Lakes National Park	🇭🇷 Croatia	~60%
3	Tatra National Park	🇸🇰 Slovakia	~50%
4	Aigüestortes National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~40%
5	Nikko National Park	🇯🇵 Japan	~40%
6	Periyar National Park	🇮🇳 India	~40%
7	Picos de Europa National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~30%
8	Kaeng Krachan National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~30%
9	Triglav National Park	🇸🇮 Slovenia	~30%
10	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
11	Sierra Nevada National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~30%
12	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
13	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	~30%
14	Khao Sok National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~30%
15	Eravikulam National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
16	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
17	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
18	Jiuzhaigou National Park	🇨🇳 China	~30%
19	Doi Inthanon National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~30%
20	Hohe Tauern National Park	🇦🇹 Austria	~30%
21	Langtang National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~30%
22	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
23	Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~20%
24	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
25	Ecrins National Park	🇫🇷 France	~20%
26	Mercantour National Park	🇫🇷 France	~20%
27	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~20%
28	Mudumalai National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
29	Gir National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
30	Cévennes National Park	🇫🇷 France	~20%
31	Kerinci Seblat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~20%
32	Vanoise National Park	🇫🇷 France	~20%
33	Taroko National Park	🇹🇼 Taiwan	~20%
34	Gunung Leuser National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~20%
35	Bavarian Forest National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	~20%
36	Khao Yai National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~20%
37	Snowdonia National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	~20%
38	Kinabalu Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	~20%
39	Cairngorms National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	~20%
40	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~20%
41	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
42	Khao Luang National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~10%
43	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~10%
44	Sinharaja Forest Reserve	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~10%
45	Royal Manas National Park	🇧🇹 Bhutan	~10%
46	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
47	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~10%
48	Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park	🇲🇳 Mongolia	~10%
49	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
50	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
51	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	~10%
52	Namdapha National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
53	Khangchendzonga National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
54	Bale Mountains National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	<5%
55	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
56	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	<5%
57	Cuc Phuong National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	<5%
58	Cat Tien National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	<5%
59	Gauja National Park	🇱🇻 Latvia	<5%
60	Raja Ampat	🇮🇩 Indonesia	<5%
61	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
62	Taman Negara National Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
63	Danum Valley Conservation Area	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
64	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	<5%
65	Sundarbans National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
66	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	<5%
67	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
68	Hortobágy National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	<5%
69	Manas National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
70	Kiskunság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	<5%
71	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
72	Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
73	Vatnajokull National Park	🇮🇸 Iceland	<5%
74	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
75	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
76	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
77	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	Insufficient data
78	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
79	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
80	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
81	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
82	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
83	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
84	Tangkoko Nature Reserve	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
85	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
86	Białowieża National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	Insufficient data
87	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
88	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
89	Sepilok	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Insufficient data
90	Nyungwe National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
91	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
92	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
93	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	Insufficient data

← Back to Nyungwe National Park

Grey Wagtail

About the Grey Wagtail

Recent sightings of Grey Wagtail in Nyungwe National Park

Closest Relatives at Nyungwe National Park

African Pied Wagtail

Cape Wagtail

Mountain Wagtail

Western Yellow Wagtail

Grassveld Pipit

Plain-backed Pipit

Long-billed Pipit

Tree Pipit

Striped Pipit

Chubb's Cisticola

Common Bulbul

Green White-eye

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found