What they like

Fast-flowing water and a bit of clutter. Bridges, weirs, streams, ponds with stony shores: perfect. He walks over cobbles and quays as if inspecting the place. Give them open spots to forage and a nook to breed: under bridges, in quay walls, behind revetments.Do: leave a strip of rough vegetation along the water. Mow in stages. Pile some stones or branches by the bank. In a garden or park: a pond with a shallow edge and a few stones works surprisingly well.

Ecological importance

A fast-moving insect eater. Mainly takes flies, mosquitoes, midges, beetles and larvae along the water’s edge. Young are raised on insect power; fewer insects = fewer wagtails. He themself is on the menu for the sparrowhawk and sometimes a cat, so provide cover with shrubs.

When in the Netherlands

All year. Breeds from March into summer, especially in Limburg, Twente and the Achterhoek. In winter more scattered; keep an eye on flat roofs.

Status

Fairly common, but dependent on healthy streams and insect-rich banks.