Wagtails & Pipits in Gloucestershire
6 species matching this filter.
Gloucestershire's diverse landscapes, from the Severn Estuary mudflats to the rolling Cotswold hills and lush river valleys, provide excellent habitat for wagtails and pipits. Six species from this family have been recorded in the county, including the elegant Grey Wagtail along fast-flowing streams, the declining Yellow Wagtail on lowland farmland, and the Meadow Pipit across upland grasslands. Scarcer visitors such as the Water Pipit and Rock Pipit can also be found, particularly during the winter months around wetland sites like Slimbridge and the Severn Vale.
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
An uncommon year-round resident favouring fast-flowing streams and weirs, especially in the Cotswolds. Bobs its long tail constantly.
Year-round
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
A common resident of upland grassland and rough pasture on the Cotswold hills, also widespread in winter lowlands.
Year-round
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
A rare non-breeding visitor found along the Severn Estuary shoreline in winter. Occasionally recorded at inland reservoirs on passage.
Sep–Mar
Tree Pipit
Anthus trivialisLC
A rare summer breeder arriving in April, favouring open woodland and heathland edges in the Forest of Dean and Cotswold escarpment.
Apr–Sep
Water Pipit
Anthus spinolettaLC
A rare autumn passage visitor, occasionally found at watercress beds and wet margins in October and November.
Oct–Nov
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
An uncommon summer breeder arriving in April, favouring the Severn Vale's damp meadows and arable fields. Numbers have declined significantly in recent decades.
Apr–Sep