Wagtails & Pipits in Devon
6 species matching this filter.
Devon's diverse landscapes, from fast-flowing moorland streams to rugged coastal cliffs and open grasslands, provide excellent habitat for the wagtail and pipit family. Six species have been recorded in the county, including the elegant Grey Wagtail along Dartmoor's rivers, Rock Pipits on the rocky shorelines, and Meadow Pipits across the upland moors. The scarcer Yellow Wagtail and Water Pipit add seasonal interest for keen birdwatchers visiting the county's wetlands and farmland.
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
An uncommon resident favouring Devon's fast-flowing streams and rivers, often seen bobbing on rocks. Moves to lowland areas in winter.
Year-round
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
An uncommon resident of Dartmoor's open grasslands and coastal clifftops. Numbers swell in autumn with passage birds moving through.
Year-round
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
An uncommon resident of Devon's rocky coastline, foraging along wave-splashed shores and harbour walls throughout the year.
Year-round
Tree Pipit
Anthus trivialisLC
An uncommon summer visitor breeding on Dartmoor's wooded fringes and heathland edges, recognised by its parachuting song flight.
Apr–Sep
Water Pipit
Anthus spinolettaLC
A rare winter visitor to Devon's watercress beds and marshy stream edges, present from November to March.
Nov–Mar
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
A rare passage migrant through Devon in spring and autumn, occasionally seen on coastal fields and wetland margins.
Apr–Sep