Ballerina gialla Motacilla cinerea

Winged dancer

Along the Ceno, the streams and small rivers that flow downhill, among the smooth stones and pools of clear water, you can see a small, elegant bird that is always on the move: the yellow wagtail.
It is easy to recognise: long tail, slender body and bright yellow breast, with a grey back and infectious liveliness. It is so named because of the continuous movement of its tail... up and down.
It flies low over the water, then perches on a rock and, with a quick flick of its beak, catches its prey: midges, dragonflies and small aquatic invertebrates.
Its presence indicates a healthy ecosystem, where it can hunt and raise its chicks.
The Yellow Wagtail is the small, lively voice of the waterways of the Val Ceno, a reminder that beauty is found in the simplest of gestures — like a tail vibrating above a reflection of clear water.

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