Willie wagtail fact sheet | Field of Mars EEC

What are willie wagtails?

Willie wagtails are small black-and-white birds found in gardens, parks, farms, wetlands and open bushland across most of mainland Australia. Their scientific name is Rhipidura leucophrys. Although they are called wagtails, they are actually fantails.

These active birds rarely stay still for long. They wag their long tail from side to side, run across open ground, perch on fences or branches, and dart through the air to catch insects. Students may notice them in school grounds, lawns or bushland edges because they are bold, noisy and often come quite close to people.

Willie wagtails are easy to recognise by their black upper body, white belly, black throat, white eyebrows, whisker-like face markings and long fanned tail. They are confident little birds that will defend their feeding area or nest from much larger animals.

A willie wagtail.

Willie wagtails use their long tail and quick movements while searching for insects.

Where do willie wagtails live?

Willie wagtails live across mainland Australia and are also found in places such as New Guinea and nearby islands. They prefer open habitats rather than dense rainforest. They are common in open woodland, dry forest, grassland, wetlands, creek edges, parks, gardens, farms and sports fields.

Around Sydney, willie wagtails can be seen in school grounds, suburban gardens and bushland edges. At Field of Mars Reserve and Lane Cove National Park, they may be found along tracks, grassy edges, open forest, wetlands and creek lines where there are insects to hunt and branches or structures for nesting.

Willie wagtails often forage on open ground in parks, gardens and bushland edges.

What do willie wagtails eat?

Willie wagtails are active insect hunters. They run and hop across lawns, tracks and open ground, stopping suddenly to snatch insects and other small invertebrates. They also fly out from a perch to catch insects in the air.

Their food includes beetles, flies, larvae, spiders, wasps, bees, ants and grasshoppers. They may sometimes eat small lizards. By eating many small animals, willie wagtails help keep invertebrate populations in balance and move energy through food webs.

Willie wagtails catch insects and other small invertebrates on the ground and in the air.

What do willie wagtails sound like?

Willie wagtails are noisy and chatty birds. Their best-known call is often described as sounding like “sweet-pretty-creature”. They also make sharper scolding and chattering calls, especially when defending a nest or warning other animals away from their territory.

During the breeding season, willie wagtails may call during the day and at night. Students may hear them before they see them, particularly around open parks, gardens, wetlands and bushland edges.

What is the life cycle of willie wagtails?

Willie wagtails usually breed in Australia from August to January, although they may breed at other times when conditions are suitable. A pair builds a neat cup-shaped nest from grasses and fine plant fibres. The outside is bound together with spider web, and the inside is lined with soft grasses, hair, fur or feathers.

Both parents help incubate the eggs and feed the chicks. The eggs usually hatch after about 14 days, and the chicks leave the nest about 14 days later. If food is plentiful, a pair may raise several clutches in one breeding season.

Willie wagtail nests are made from grasses, plant fibres and spider webs.

Young willie wagtails are fed and protected by their parents until they are ready to leave the nest.

Young willie wagtails are duller in colour than adults.

What adaptations do willie wagtails have to help them survive?

Willie wagtails have several adaptations that help them hunt in open habitats. Their long legs help them move quickly across the ground, while their quick flight helps them chase insects through the air. Their long fanned tail is constantly wagged and flicked as they forage, which may help disturb small prey from grass and ground cover.

Their bold behaviour is another important adaptation. Willie wagtails defend feeding areas and nesting sites strongly, even against larger birds such as magpies, currawongs, kookaburras and birds of prey. Their calls, fast movements and mobbing behaviour help protect eggs and chicks from predators.

Willie wagtails are very territorial and will defend feeding areas.

Why are willie wagtails important?

Willie wagtails are important insect-eating birds in gardens, parks, wetlands and bushland. By catching insects and other small invertebrates, they help keep food webs balanced and reduce the number of some insects in open habitats.

They are also part of the wider food web. Their eggs and chicks may be eaten by larger birds or other predators, while adult willie wagtails provide a visible sign that open habitats contain enough insects, perches and nesting places to support small birds.

Willie wagtails help food webs by catching insects and other small invertebrates.

How can you help willie wagtails?

You can help willie wagtails by protecting insect habitat. Leave leaf litter, logs, bark, native grasses and low plants where it is safe to do so. These places support insects and other small animals that willie wagtails need for food.

Keep cats indoors or safely contained, especially during the day and around nesting season. Avoid unnecessary pesticide use because poisons can reduce insect numbers and may harm birds that eat affected prey. Plant local native shrubs, grasses and groundcovers, and provide clean shallow water where it can be safely maintained.

Native gardens provide shelter for insects that become food for willie wagtails.

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