68. The White Wagtail

At this time of year, it’s not unusual to be caught off-guard by a small flutter of black, white and grey as you’re driving along a country road, which then settles on the other side.  That would be your encounter with a white wagtail. White wagtails (M: zakak abjad) are common wintering birds in Malta. They are birds of fields and open spaces, where they strut around looking for worms and insects from the ground. By day they spread out in the countryside, but in the evening they like to congregate in large groups and sleep en masse in large, leafy trees. The largest of these congregations (called roost) of white wagtails in Malta is - of all places - in the trees of Great Siege Square, Valletta, right in front of the law courts! BirdLife makes a count of this roost every year, and this year's count was a record, with over 5400 birds coming in to roost.

Text by Victor Falzon, photo by Denis Cachia.

Copyright to Birdlife Malta.