White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) is one of our most recognizable birds, often encountered by hikers on alpine pastures, along mountain streams, and near mountain huts. Its appearance is unmistakable, with a slender body in gray, black, and white colors and a characteristic black bib on the chest that strongly contrasts with the white face and belly. The most noticeable feature of the white wagtail is its long tail, which it constantly and rhythmically wags up and down while running on the ground, after which it got its folk name. It grows to a length of up to 19 centimeters and is considered an extremely lively and tireless bird that does not fear proximity to humans.
In the hilly world, it is most easily observed on open areas, where with quick steps and short flights it hunts insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates. It is an excellent flier, its flight recognizably undulating, allowing quick movement between different hunting grounds. It nests in crevices between rocks, in building walls, or under the roofs of mountain huts, where it builds a hidden nest from moss and grass blades. The white wagtail is a migrant that returns to our mountains among the first in spring; its presence with its elegance and constant motion always enlivens the mountain landscape anew.