An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Bachstelze

by Friedrich Kluge

Bachstelze feminine, ‘water-wagtail,’ formed from the equivalent Middle High German waȥȥerstelze, Old High German waȥȥerstelza; the second part of the compound is connected with Stelze. This term is only High German; compare with it Dutch kwikstaart, Norwegian quickstiert, English wagtail, Low German wippstert, Danish vipstiert; also Greek σεισοπυγίς ltal. squassacoda, codatremola, cutretta, French hoche-queue; but Spanish andario, which meant lit ‘brook-trotter.’