Passeriformes

Alaudidae - Larks

Hirundinidae - Swallows & Martins

Motacillidae - Pipits & Wagtails

Prunellidae - Accentors

Motacilla alba yarrellii (body 18 cm) Pied wagtail Characteristic black and white wagtail. Found on open grassland or farmland, urban areas visiting gardens and often near water. Common and widespread. Image taken at Parents house, Prestatyn, Denbighshire .

Anthus pratensis (body 15 cm) Meadow pipit Pale brown upperparts with dark brown streaks. Whitish underparts with dark brown streaks on the breast. Dark brown legs. Found on open moorland, heaths, farmland and marshes. Widespread and common. Image taken at Durlston country park, Swanage, Dorset .

Hirundo rustica (body 20 cm) Swallow Blueish-black glossy upperparts with white underparts. Reddish throat. Conspicuous forked tail is longer in the male. Breeds in farmland buildings and urban areas. Feeds over most habitats catching flying insects. Widespread and common. Image taken at River Avon, Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Alauda arvensis (body 18 cm) Skylark  Upperparts chestnut with pale flecks. Beige head with dark streaks. Short crest observed when excited. Pale beige underparts streaked brown on the breast. Brown beak and pinkish-brown legs. Characterisitic song produced when hovering - mimics other birds. Found in open farmalnd and grassland, marshes, moors, heaths and mountains. Widespread and abundant. Image taken at Ffrith beach sand-dunes, Prestatyn, Denbighshire .

Prunella modularis (body 15 cm) Dunnock  Brown upperparts. Head, collar and breast are grey. Beige belly. Found in woodland, farmland, scrub, parks and gardens. Widespread and common. Image taken at Parents house, Prestatyn, Denbighshire .

Motacilla cinerea (body 18 cm) Grey wagtail  Grey upperparts with yellowish-white underparts. Bright yellow beneath the base of the tail. Long tail. Found near fast-flowing streams and rivers. Widespread and common. Image taken at River Avon, Salisbury, Wiltshire .