Cape Wagtail
Motacilla capensis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyMotacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)
- GenusMotacilla (Wagtails)
- SpeciesMotacilla capensis (Cape Wagtail)
The Cape wagtail (Motacilla capensis), also known as Wells's wagtail, is a small insectivorous bird which is widespread in southern Africa. It frequents water's edge, lawns and gardens. It is a mostly resident, territorial species, but has been known to undertake limited altitudinal migration or form flocks outside of the breeding season. Like other wagtails they are passerine birds of the family Motacillidae, which also includes the pipits and longclaws. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Waterberg Plateau Park
Grassveld Pipit
Anthus cinnamomeus
Buffy Pipit
Anthus vaalensis
African Red-eyed Bulbul
Pycnonotus nigricans
Green-backed Camaroptera
Camaroptera brachyura
Pale-winged Starling
Onychognathus nabouroup
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
Red-shouldered Glossy-starling
Lamprotornis nitens
Pririt Batis
Batis pririt
Crimson-breasted Gonolek
Laniarius atrococcineus
White-breasted Sunbird
Cinnyris talatala
White-browed Scrub Robin
Erythropygia leucophrys
Rock Martin
Ptyonoprogne fuligula
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of Cape Wagtail at Waterberg Plateau Park — not enough to chart months honestly.
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there