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African pied

The African pied wagtail is not a shy bird, and it can often be found near a home or at a campsite, scavenging for food. This specie of wagtail, which is less common than the Cape wagtail, is very conspicuous and has a loud piping call.

The African pied wagtails feed on small insects, which they sometimes intercept while flying, but generally pick up off the ground. They will also feed on any breadcrumbs and other leftovers that humans may throw out for them. They are usually seen singly, in pairs or in small groups, but sometimes form flocks of up to 40 birds during their nesting period. The African pied wagtails have contrasting white outer tail feathers that show up when the tail is spread while flying.

Their nests consist of plant material and are lined with grass, with a neat cup in the top. They are built in cavities on river banks, rocky overhangs, in buildings or some other protected site near water.

The female African pied wagtail lays three or four whitish eggs, the incubation period being about 13 days. The nestlings take a further 16 days before joining their parents on foraging trips, after which they become completely independent.

The African pied wagtails occur along the river systems of the Kunene, Okavango, Chobe, Orange and the Vaal; also in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, KwaZulu-Natal and large areas of the Transvaal, the Free State and the eastern Cape.

African pied 

 African pied 

 African pied 

 African pied