Motacilla flava, commonly known as the Yellow Wagtail, is widely distributed across Europe, Asia, and parts of North Africa. During breeding season, it is mainly found in temperate regions of Europe and Asia, extending from the British Isles in the west to the eastern parts of Siberia in the east. In the winter, it migrates to sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

The Yellow Wagtail primarily inhabits open areas with short vegetation, such as grasslands, meadows, marshes, and agricultural fields. It prefers wet environments, often near bodies of water like rivers, lakes, and wetlands. The species is also found in pastures where livestock grazing creates short grass, which is ideal for foraging.

The species has adapted to nesting on the ground, often within a small depression lined with plant materials. It feeds on a diet mainly consisting of insects and small invertebrates, which it hunts actively on the ground, capitalizing on its agile flight and quick movements. Different subspecies have adapted to various environmental conditions across its range, displaying variations in plumage and size linked to their specific habitats.