Birds › Australian bush › Willie Wagtail

Willie Wagtail

Rhipidura leucophrys

Wags its tail from side to side to flush insects, and bravely chases birds as big as eagles away from its nest. It often sings on moonlit nights.

Where to see it for real: Lawns, open ground and a birdbath; it may nest on a low branch close to the house.

Spot it in the game

Lives in the Australian bush habitat (Eastern Australia, among gum trees).

Willie Wagtail facts

Family

Fantails

Length

7.9 in (20 cm)

Weight

0.7 oz (20 g)

Diet

Flying insects, caught in the air or flushed from lawns.

Range

All of mainland Australia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Bismarck Archipelago.

Nest

A small cup of grass bound with spider web, on a bare horizontal branch.

Song

A sweet chattering "sweet pretty creature", and a scolding rattle.

Active

at dawn, by day and at night

Status

Least Concern on the IUCN Red List: widespread and not at risk.

What the Willie Wagtail sounds like

How to attract the Willie Wagtail

Feeder foods, favorite first: mealworms. Feeders that hold them: platform feeder. Keep a bird bath full, too.

In the game: fill a feeder with mealworms and keep the bird bath full. It is a common visitor.

More: bird songs and calls, birds at night, what to feed birds.

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