Motacillidae
Sign in to saveThe wagtails, longclaws, and pipits are a family, Motacillidae, of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. Around 70 species occur in five genera. The longclaws are entirely restricted to the Afrotropics, and the wagtails are predominantly found in Europe, Africa, and Asia, with two species migrating and breeding in Alaska. The pipits have the most cosmopolitan distribution, being found mostly in the Old World, but occurring also in the Americas and oceanic islands such as New Zealand and the Falklands. Two African species, the yellow-breasted pipit and Sharpe's longclaw, are sometime
AI overview
Motacillidae is a family of about 70 small songbird species, including wagtails, pipits, and longclaws, that are found across Europe, Africa, Asia, and parts of the Americas. These birds are characterized by their medium to long tails, and while some species stay in specific regions like Africa, others migrate widely and can be found from Alaska to remote islands like New Zealand and the Falklands.
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Taxonomy · GBIF
FAMILY
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassAves
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyMotacillidae
via GBIF · CC0
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Parent taxon
- Passeroidea
- Image
- Pied Wagtail rear view 700.jpg
Show 4 more facts
- P105
- family
Article
4 sectionsContents
- Description
- Phylogeny
- Species and genera
- References
The wagtails, longclaws, and pipits are a family, Motacillidae, of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. Around 70 species occur in five genera. The longclaws are entirely restricted to the Afrotropics, and the wagtails are predominantly found in Europe, Africa, and Asia, with two species migrating and breeding in Alaska. The pipits have the most cosmopolitan distribution, being found mostly in the Old World, but occurring also in the Americas and oceanic islands such as New Zealand and the Falklands. Two African species, the yellow-breasted pipit and Sharpe's longclaw, are sometimes placed in a separate seventh genus, Hemimacronyx, which is closely related to the longclaws.
Most motacillids are ground-feeding insectivores of slightly open country. They occupy almost all available habitats, from the shore to high mountains. Wagtails prefer wetter habitats than the pipits. A few species use forests, including the forest wagtail, and other species use forested mountain streams, such as the grey wagtail or the mountain wagtail.