The Pied Wagtail Motacilla
alba yarelli is a familiar British bird found in a variety of
habitats , including towns, across the UK and is especially
associated with wetland habitats, it is a sub species of the White
wagtail Motacilla alba. The pied is more common in the UK
and the white across continental
Europe
It's distinctive black and white plumage and
constantly wagging tail make it easily recognisable. There are
estimated to be over 270,000 breeding pairs in the UK (RSPB) and
they can often be seen in large roosts during the winter in towns
and cities.
There is a often large roost of several
hundred birds in a small tree outside my local supermarket
which under the street lighting resembles a highly decorated
Christmas tree - a great sight! Pied wagtails are reasonably well available in
aviculture and make excellent aviary subjects, whilst not as
colourful as some other birds their contrasting black and white
plumage is very attractive and they prove to be lively and
entertaining birds in captivity.
Pied wagtails are classed as softbills and are
fairly well available to breeders. They are probably one of the
easier British softbills to breed in captivity and as such
make a good species for the beginner.
Generally it is reasonably easy to differentiate
between the sexes, especially in the Spring/Summer when the birds
are coming into breeding condition.
The main difference is in the cap and back: the
cocks back and cap turn black and the females have a blackish cap
with some more grey and a greyish back. However, this is not always
fool proof as, with some other species, well coloured hens and poor
coloured cocks exist.
Another confusing factor is that crosses between
pied and white wagtails exist in captivity which may give paler and
greyer looking cock birds! But, generally a cock pied wagtail
will develop a totally black head and back in breeding condition.
They can also be sexed by the singing of the cock bird, which
is a subtle and not very strident song....but one that will start
to be sung by the cocks leading up to
breeding in Spring.
Housing
I keep my wagtails in flights of a 6ft x 3ft x
3ft minimum size throughout the year. Although some people do
keep their birds caged inside during the months and especially
if the birds are planned to be exhibited. I'm sure they could
easily be bred in smaller flights. But as with most birds the
bigger the flight area the better.
Natural perches such as apple or hazel branches
in the flight are ideal. The addition of some larger branches laid
on the aviary floor and some clear areas on the floor will enable
the birds to spend time walking around the floor of the flight.
Decorating with a couple of small shrubs in tubs and possibly some
climbing plants growing up the wire will help to provide cover
and attract insects into the
aviary.
I prefer to use bark chippings on the aviary
floor, again for the beneficial insects it will inevitably
contain.
Wagtails have an affinity with water so adding a
large water dish or small water feature is beneficial I feel. The
birds will bathe on a regular basis and enjoy the insects a water
feature attracts!
Feeding
My wagtails are fed on a universal softbill mix
to which I add grated broccoli and carrot several times a week and occasionally
I add some grated mild cheese. They will also eat canary egg food mixed in with
the softbill food. I give each bird around six meal
worms every day even throughout the winter months. The live food content of their
diet is increased towards the breeding season in April
and significantly increased and varied when they
have young. Spiders, caterpillars, flies and aphids are all readily
taken.
From early Spring on I mix some multi vitamin
powder with calcium to the food mix twice a week.
Breeding
I now keep my wagtails together all year round
and let them breed when they are ready to do so. Although,
some breeders will pair the birds in the Spring when they come into condition.
They generally have a reputation for being easy to pair, although this is not always
the case and some birds can be aggressive. I have had cock wagtails killed by
the hen when paired up in the Spring and the cock birds are capable of killing
the hens. As with other species it is important to watch your birds and
get to know them. Providing two water and food vessels will help to reduce
conflict and prevent one bird dominating the
resources.
I put up 2 or 3 nest sites in the flight at
various heights. These are open fronted boxes (robin type), which the birds take
to without any cover around them. Wagtails
will also nest on shelves, spaces between rocks and
other such cavities.
Dry grasses, coconut fibre and hair is used to
build the nest, which is a neat little cup. Up to six white eggs heavily spotted
with grey are generally laid. Incubation is 13-14 days and the young remain in
the nest for a further two weeks. The young when feathered are a paler
version of the adults and tinged with yellow.
The pair may have up to three broods per year,
especially if the first or second clutches are lost for some
reason.
The young need plenty of live food supplied from
hatching. I have had good results with very small crickets, and
mini meal worms, increasing in size as the chicks grow. Another great source of
food is that suggested by that excellent bird man the late Ron
McCluskey in the classic book British Birds in Aviculture: He
suggests acquiring small shrimps and other aquatic invertebrates
from the local river, which is especially good for the first week
of the chicks life. I am lucky enough to have a couple of local
rivers full of life and ten minutes spent putting a net through the
aquatic vegetation will provide a bucket full of food! This I pour,
weed too, into a large shallow dish and the birds will pick through
the weed for the invertebrate life.
Fruit flies and frozen pinkies will also be
readily accepted and attracting insects into the flights with
plants is always beneficial.
The young are normally rung, depending on
growth, at around 5 days with a size c ring from the BBC or
IOA.
I will remove the young as soon as they are
feeding themselves to a separate flight or to a cage in the bird
room. This is important as the adult cock bird in breeding
condition may harm any young that are left in the breeding
enclosure too long! Showing
Wagtails are fairly popular show birds. They
should be place in a cage that is decorated to reflect their
natural habitat which can be quite
diverse!
A good sized, cone shape bird with good distinct
markings that displays itself steadily in a show cage makes a
lovely exhibit.
I would recommend pied wagtails to anyone who
wants to start breeding British softbills as they are easy to cater
for and are relatively good breeders in captivity. Joining a local
Cbs or online forum such as British Birds in Aviculture will help
you get in contact with breeders of these beautiful
birds.
Dave Wettner,
2012. Staff member at British Birds in
Aviculture. www.
bbia.co.uk