Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinerea
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyMotacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)
- GenusMotacilla (Wagtails)
- SpeciesMotacilla cinerea (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. Wikipedia →
40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Grey Wagtail sighting in Periyar National Park, based on 372 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Periyar National Park
White-browed Wagtail
Motacilla maderaspatensis
Western Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flava
Forest Wagtail
Dendronanthus indicus
Oriental Pipit
Anthus rufulus
Long-billed Pipit
Anthus similis
Olive-backed Pipit
Anthus hodgsoni
Southern Hill Myna
Gracula indica
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus paradiseus
White-bellied Treepie
Dendrocitta leucogastra
Malabar Whistling-Thrush
Myophonus horsfieldii
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Pycnonotus jocosus
Orange Minivet
Pericrocotus flammeus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Grey Wagtail in Periyar National Park?
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Grey Wagtail sighting in Periyar National Park, based on 372 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Grey Wagtail in Periyar National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Grey Wagtail in Periyar National Park in our monthly data.