- Rhipidura leucophrys
Identification
19-21.5cm
Black upperparts, throat and tail
- White underparts, eyebrow and sub-moustachial whiskers
- Black bill and legs
- Dark brown iris
Sexes similar
Distribution
Australia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Bismarck Archipelago, and eastern Indonesia].
Taxonomy
It is unrelated to the true wagtails of the genus Motacilla.
Subspecies[1]
Three subspecies are recognised:
- R. l. picata:
- Northern Australia (Broome, Western Australia to Cape York Peninsula)
- R. l. leucophrys:
- Mainland Australia, except north
- R. l. melaleuca:
- Moluccas, New Guinea, Bismarck Archaepelago and Solomon Islands
Habitat
Most habitats, except dense forests - wetlands, urban lawns, parks, and gardens, golf courses.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes insects.
Breeding
It builds a cup-like nest on a tree branch from grass stems, strips of bark, and other fibres, bound together with spider webs. The clutch consits of 2-4 creamy-white eggs with brownish markings which are incubated by the female for 14 days. The young fledge after a further 14 days.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Wikipedia
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Willie-wagtail. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Willie-wagtail
