The White-browed Wagtail (Motacilla Maderaspatensis) is known in Tamil as = Kulatthu Kuruvi. Their specific name is derived from the city Madras (i.e. the former name of Chennai, Tamil Nadu). Another local name for wagtails in India is dhobin (or washerwoman) which corresponds to the bird’s name in French i.e. Lavendiere. It has been suggested that the bird has derived its nickname because of its fondness for water and also comparison with its wagging tale to the battering action by the laundrywoman of clothes on the rocks.
This bird is the size of a Bulbul. It is a large wagtail of black and white plumage and with a prominent white eyebrow. In the female the black portions are duller and browner. It roams in pairs and can be found at streams and tanks. It is resident throughout Indian and can be found in the Tiruvannamalai District.
This bird prefers rocky smooth-running streams with grass-covered islets but it is also found at village tanks and irrigation reservoirs. It also has adapted well to urban environment and is often found perched on overhead water storages in residential buildings.
This bird lives almost entirely on the ground, running about instead of hopping like most small birds. When they do fly, they are extremely good fliers and when on the wing, they progress in bounds or curves, alternately closing and opening their wings. Most small birds fly in this way, but it is particularly marked in the Wagtails. They can fly fairly rapidly for long distances and have been recorded to travel at the speed of about 40 km/hr.
This bird is usually tame and confiding. However delicate and as fragile as this bird looks, they are most savage and it is impossible to keep even two of different species together unless they are cock and hen.
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| Female White-Browed Wagtail |
The White-browed Wagtail has a number of loud, pleasant whistle calls. Its usual call is a wheezy "wheech During the breeding season, the male sings sweetly from a rock or house-top. In older times in India, the species was sometimes kept as a cage-bird and was acclaimed for its singing ability.
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| Female at nest with chicks |
