- Lifespan
- 5–8 years in the wild, with the oldest UK ringed bird recorded at over 12 years
- Size & Weight
- 17–19 cm long, wingspan 24–30 cm; 16–22 g
- Habitat
- Open ground near water including gardens, parks, farmland, and urban areas, often foraging on bare ground or pavements.
- UK Distribution
- Resident throughout the UK year-round, with population increases in spring and autumn migration periods as continental birds pass through or winter.
- Diet
- Primarily small insects and invertebrates including flies, gnats, midges, and spiders, picked from the ground or caught in flight.
- Prey
- Flies, gnats, midges, small beetles, spiders, and occasionally small fish fry
- Predators
- Sparrowhawks, merlins, and occasionally foxes; corvids and gulls may take eggs and chicks
- Mating Season
- March to July, typically with two broods per season
- Breeding
- Clutch of 4–6 eggs, incubation period 10–12 days, fledging at 11–16 days; both parents feed young
- Behaviour
- Highly distinctive with constant tail-bobbing and jerky walking gait; gregarious in autumn and winter, often roosting communally in reedbeds or buildings. Males are territorial during breeding season and frequently perform chasing displays with rivals.