Wagtails & Pipits in Cumbria

5 species matching this filter.

All birds in CumbriaView family page

Cumbria's diverse landscapes, from the Lake District fells to its rugged coastline, provide excellent habitat for wagtails and pipits. Five species from this family have been recorded in the county, including the ever-present Meadow Pipit on upland moors, the elegant Grey Wagtail along fast-flowing becks, and the increasingly scarce Yellow Wagtail in lowland pastures. The Rock Pipit can be found along Cumbria's coastal fringes, while the Tree Pipit is a welcome summer visitor to open woodland edges.

Meadow Pipit
Meadow PipitSmallest · 14cm
to
Grey Wagtail
Grey WagtailLargest · 20cm
Ranges from the Meadow Pipit (14cm) to the Grey Wagtail (20cm)3 year-round residents
Grey Wagtail

Grey Wagtail

Motacilla cinereaLC

A resident of fast-flowing streams and rivers, often seen bobbing its long tail on rocks alongside dippers.

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Meadow Pipit

Meadow Pipit

Anthus pratensisLC

Abundant year-round across Cumbrian fells and upland moors, where its thin call is the quintessential sound of open hill country.

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

Anthus petrosusLC

A scarce resident of Cumbria's rocky coastline, foraging among seaweed-strewn boulders at St Bees Head and along the Solway shore.

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Tree Pipit

Tree Pipit

Anthus trivialisLC

An uncommon summer breeder arriving in April, favouring open woodland edges and fell-side clearings with scattered trees for its parachuting song flight.

Apr–Aug

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flavaLC

A rare passage visitor through Cumbria, occasionally seen on lowland farmland during spring and autumn migration.

May–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

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