Willie Wagtail
Rhipidura leucophrys
Hunts insects in foliage, from livestock, on the ground; wags and fans tail. Aggressive. Check Restless Flycatcher. Eye, bill, legs are black. White eyebrows and lower cheek stripe. Upperparts are black and the belly is white. Brown-tinged wings. Abundant and common. Sedentary, Nomadic and Partial migrant. Size: 19-21.5cm.
Juvenile: Buff spotting on tips of black feathers.
Voice: Sub stained alarm, like rattling box of matches. Sweet repetitive song ‘which are you, Willie, which are you?’; traditionally ‘sweet, pretty creature’. May sing at night.
Habitat: Everywhere except very wet forest.
| Classifications: | Bird, forest and grassland |
| Family: | Dicruridae |
| Information sources: | Simpson Day 7th Ed. |
