Rhipidura leucophrys
The Willie Wagtail is the largest, and possibly most well-known, of the Australian fantails. Birds measure 18.5 to 21.5 cm. The plumage is black above with a white belly. The Willie Wagtail can be distinguished from other similar sized black and white birds by its black throat and white eyebrows and whisker marks. The name wagtail stems from the constant sideways wagging of the tail. Young birds resemble the adults, but have paler, slightly rusty edges to the feathers of the wings.
The call is also well-known, often being uttered constantly throughout the night, and is interpreted as "sweet-pretty-creature", though other calls involve more scolding and chattering notes.
Although it is active in defending its territory, the Willie Wagtail is very tolerant and tame around humans, often feeding and nesting in close proximity of houses and human activity.
Willie Wagtails are found in open forests and woodlands. They tend to prefer the wetter areas, with lots of leaf-litter, for feeding, and available mud for nest building. They are found throughout most of eastern and south-eastern mainland Australia, but are absent from northern Queensland. The Willie Wagtail is found in almost any habitat except the densest forests, and is common around habitation. It is widely distributed in Australia and northern Tasmania. The range also extends to New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Bismarck Archipelago and the Moluccas.
Although the Willie Wagtail is generally observed singly or in pairs, winter flocks may form, often mixed with other species.
Willie Wagtails are active feeders. Birds can be seen darting around lawns as they hunt for insects on the ground. As they do so, the tail is wagged from side to side. Insects are also captured in the air, in active chases.
The Willie Wagtail is often found in the company of domestic and farm animals, such as cattle and sheep, where it either runs behind the moving animal snatching insects as they are disturbed, or sits on the back of the animal, darting off to capture a flying insect and then returning to its mobile perch.
While the Willie Wagtail can be found nesting at any time of the year, the breeding season is concentrated from August to February. The nest is a neatly woven cup of grasses, covered with spider's web on the outside and lined internally with soft grasses, hair or fur. The soft lining of the nest, if not readily available, is often taken directly from an animal.
The nest of the Willie Wagtail may be re-used in successive years, or an old nest is often destroyed and the materials used in the construction of a new nest. Nests are normally placed on a horizontal branch of a tree, or other similar structure. The normal clutch size is three, and the cream-coloured eggs, speckled with grey and brown are incubated by both sexes. The young hatch after about 14 days and leave the nest after a further two weeks.
The young birds stay with the parents until the eggs from the next clutch start to hatch. At this point they are driven away. If conditions are favourable, the couple may raise up to four successive clutches in a single season.
Copyright © Australian Museum, 2003
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