Grey Wagtail
Grey WagtailGrey WagtailGrey WagtailGrey Wagtail

Grey Wagtail

Motacilla cinerea

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

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Vatnajokull National Park
5 Verified sightings at Vatnajokull National Park From 2019 to 2026
23,366 Verified sightings across all 93 parks From 2019 to 2026
October Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ 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 Vatnajokull National Park

White Wagtail
LC

White Wagtail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Motacilla alba

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Meadow Pipit
LC

Meadow Pipit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anthus pratensis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Redwing
LC

Redwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus iliacus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Common Redpoll
LC

Common Redpoll

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Acanthis flammea

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Common Raven
LC

Common Raven

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus corax

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Snow Bunting
LC

Snow Bunting

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Plectrophenax nivalis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Goldcrest
LC

Goldcrest

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Regulus regulus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Eurasian Wren
LC

Eurasian Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Troglodytes troglodytes

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Eurasian Blackbird
LC

Eurasian Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus merula

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
European Starling
LC

European Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sturnus vulgaris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Northern Wheatear
LC

Northern Wheatear

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oenanthe oenanthe

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Hooded Crow

Hooded Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus cornix

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

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

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Grey Wagtail in Vatnajokull National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Grey Wagtail sighting in Vatnajokull National Park, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Grey Wagtail in Vatnajokull National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Grey Wagtail in Vatnajokull National Park in our monthly data.

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