Usage Note
Bachstelze (Motacilla alba) is a slender black-and-white bird that constantly wags its tail up and down. It favours streamsides and rooftops. Plural: die Bachstelzen.
Examples
"Die Bachstelze wippte mit dem Schwanz, während sie über die Terrasse lief."
Natural Translation
The wagtail bobbed its tail as it walked across the patio.
Literal Translation
The wagtail bobbed with the tail while it walked over the terrace.
Free starter pack
Building your German vocabulary?
Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.
Related Words
Explore German by topic
