Cape Wagtail: how to recognise it
A bird of Africa. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Ray Turnbull · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Motacilla capensis
- Family
- Wagtails and Pipits
- Size
- About 19 cm
- Habitat
- Gardens, lawns, streams and towns
- Found in
- Africa
The key marks
Brownish-grey above, off-white below with a faint grey-brown chest band and a pale eyebrow; the tail wags and has white edges. White Wagtail shows a clean white face with a black cap and a black bib.
Voice
A sweet, clear whistled song and a sharp chirping call.
Good to know
Very tame, it walks on lawns and paths in gardens and towns, wagging its tail and picking up insects.
Do not confuse with
Compare it with the White Wagtail. Look at the marks above one by one rather than the overall colour, and practise telling the two apart with real photos.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in gardens, lawns, streams and towns. It is especially common in South Africa. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.