Judging by the host of feminine vernacular names like 'Peggy Dishwater', pied wagtails were probably attendant on country women washing clothes and pots by the stream or garden pump. Pied wagtails once preferred habitats near water such as reedbeds: the sharp pointed beak is ideal for jabbing at tiny insects, especially small flies like midges, and their relatively long legs are well-adapted for running into shallow water or mud in search of prey. Nowadays they are also commonly found on pasture and even in cities.
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