Common resident, passage migrant and winter visitor.

Regularly seen at the Town Centre, the Industrial Area, Gresley Way and Fairlands Valley Lakes.

They were confirmed as breeding in five of the town’s tetrads in the 1973 Breeding Atlas, from nine in the 1992 Atlas and, from five in the 2012 Atlas.

Outside of the breeding season they form large communal roosts, often in shrubberies and at man – made structures: in 1965 30 roosted in a hangar at the BAC Works (MBDA), Gunnels Wood Road and, the birds were frequently seen indoors in hard weather; 200 were seen roosting in Monks Wood during November 1969; between 1974 and 1979 up to 400 roosted at the Lister Hospital.

A flock of over 50 birds were seen in a field adjoining the western boundary of Norton Green Tip on 26 January 2015 and, a pre-roost gathering of 88 birds was seen at an unrecorded location on 21 January 2017.

Pied Wagtails are vulnerable to severe winter weather, and huge losses occurred in the winter of 1962/63.

The 2012 Winter Atlas confirmed their presence from 10 of the tetrads covering Stevenage.

Two unusual records: 19 were seen following a plough near Astonbury on 24 March 1973; in 1975 a pair nested in a well at Astonbury.

There are seven records of the continental race, “White” Wagtail (M. a. alba); two from Fairlands Valley Lakes on 20 April 1990 and 17 April 1991 and, Norton Green Tip; one on 14 April 2005; two on 12 April 2012, one on 4 April 2013, one on 9 April 2013 and two on 30 April 2013.