African Pied Wagtail (Motacilla aguimp)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

African Pied Wagtail

Motacilla aguimp Temminck, 1820

20 cmLength27 gWeight

Busiest months: July and October–November · Most records: Kenya, Uganda, South Africa

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: July and October–November · Most records: Kenya, Uganda, South Africa

African Pied Wagtail has been recorded at 438 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 36 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Nairobi NPKenya1,076 records
  2. Kruger NP – Skukuza CampSouth Africa709 records
  3. Kakamega Forest NR – Rondo Retreat CentreKenya707 records
More places
  1. Lake Mburo NPUganda686 records
  2. Mabamba SwampUganda617 records
  3. Lake Nakuru NPKenya571 records
  4. Mt Kenya NP – Castle Forest and LodgeKenya560 records
  5. Amboseli NPKenya511 records
  6. Nairobi River @ National Museums of KenyaKenya477 records
  7. Entebbe Botanical GardenUganda456 records

Countries and regions with the most records

KenyaUgandaSouth AfricaTanzaniaZambiaBotswanaZimbabweCongo - Kinshasa

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

Questions

How big is the African Pied Wagtail?

The African Pied Wagtail is about 20 cm long and weighs around 27 g.

Where does the African Pied Wagtail live?

Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa.

When is the best time to see the African Pied Wagtail?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in July, October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the African Pied Wagtail endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the African Pied Wagtail as Least Concern.

What does the African Pied Wagtail eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the African Pied Wagtail in?

It belongs to the family Wagtails, Pipits (Motacillidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
20 cm
Weight
27 g
Habitat
Rivers & streams
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
91 mm
Tail
94 mm
Bill
19 mm
Tarsus
24 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Wagtails, Pipits Motacillidae
Genus
Motacilla

Other birds in the genus Motacilla

African Pied Wagtail

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Luca Boscain. ↗

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