Wagtails & Pipits in Durham

5 species matching this filter.

All birds in DurhamView family page

Durham's varied landscapes, from the upland moors of the Pennines to the rocky North Sea coastline, provide excellent habitat for wagtails and pipits. Five species from this family have been recorded in the county, including the charismatic Grey Wagtail along fast-flowing streams and the ubiquitous Meadow Pipit on open moorland. The scarcer Yellow Wagtail and Tree Pipit can also be found during the breeding season, favouring lowland farmland and woodland edges respectively.

Meadow Pipit
Meadow PipitSmallest · 14cm
to
Grey Wagtail
Grey WagtailLargest · 20cm
Ranges from the Meadow Pipit (14cm) to the Grey Wagtail (20cm)2 year-round residents
Grey Wagtail

Grey Wagtail

Motacilla cinereaLC

An uncommon resident along Durham's fast-flowing rivers and streams, bobbing its long tail on rocks year-round.

Year-round

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

Meadow Pipit

Anthus pratensisLC

An uncommon resident of Durham's moorlands and rough grasslands, delivering its parachuting song flight over the Pennine fringes.

Year-round

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

Rock Pipit

Anthus petrosusLC

A rare non-breeding visitor to Durham's rocky coastline, present from autumn through to early spring.

Sep–Mar

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

Tree Pipit

Anthus trivialisLC

A rare summer breeder arriving in April, favouring open woodland edges and hillside clearings in western Durham.

Apr–Jun

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

Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flavaLC

A rare and declining summer breeder on Durham's lowland pastures and arable fields, present from April to August.

Apr–Aug

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

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