Forest Wagtail is a unique wagtail species which is the only member of it’s genus Dendronanthus. It is a common sight in the forests of Odisha during winter. As per BOW this species is a winter migratory across India but a occassional breeder in North Assam. This bird forage in the ground,forest floor with covered area. It has a weird behaviour When disturbed usually flies to perch in tree, sways tail and rear body from side to side.It is also the only wagtail species that nests in trees.

A video on that behaviour:

Sources

Tyler, S. (2020). Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus), version 1.0. In J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, & E. de Juana (Eds.), Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.forwag1.01

YouTube. (n.d.). Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus) – video [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/SLcHz1BIGAk?si=vGVr2UVoeA8_-xHA

trek.zone. (n.d.). Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus) – India/Animals. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from https://trek.zone/en/india/animals/forest-wagtail