YELLOW WAGTAIL 



Motacilla ran 



HE Yellow Wagtail is a common summer visitor to the 

 British Islands. It is widely distributed in England, 

 except in a few of the extreme south-western counties. 

 In Scotland it is much more sparingly distributed, but 

 is found principally in the southern counties, and has 

 been recorded as breeding in Inverness, Aberdeen, and a 

 few of the eastern counties. It is recorded as a visitor 

 to the Orkneys and Shetlands in autumn. In Ireland it is known to breed 

 in at least two counties. 



The Yellow Wagtail is one of the first migrants to make its appearance 

 in spring: it arrives in England at its breeding-haunts early in March, and 

 reaches its more northern stations early in April. Immediately after its arrival, 

 it frequents the open country near the sea, and may always be found at this 

 season on the fields where sowing is going on. In summer the Yellow 

 Wagtails are always to be seen in fields where cattle are grazing, no doubt 

 on account of the number of insects to be found there. They will run about 

 in the grass amongst the animals, within a few inches of their feet, searching 

 diligently for insects. Its actions are similar to those of the other Wagtails, 

 and it is quite as graceful as any of its congeners. It runs about with mar- 

 vellous speed, its tail beating up and down incessantly, and it repeatedly takes 

 little flights into the air to capture some passing insect. It is not at all a shy 

 bird, and one can approach it within a short distance and admire the beauty 

 of its plumage. Its favourite haunts are the meadows near some river, canal, 

 or marshy lake or broad, and it may often be seen running nimbly over the 

 floating weeds on some sheet of water. 



The Yellow Wagtail feeds on insects, grubs, and various kinds of worms. 

 It is very partial to small beetles, and seems to search the vegetation more 

 VOL. iv. 2 N 137 



