Of all the Australian birds that are common and widely distributed Willie wagtails are
one of the most recognisable and entertaining. They are a common sight throughout
the gardens of Australia as they forage across lawns looking for invertebrates to eat
whilst constantly wagging and fanning their tail. Coupled with the stern appearance
their eye-brow ridge gives them and their harsh contact call, they are quite a
memorable sight.
They are found throughout Australia, in all habitats except wet forests, and are
reasonably sedentary, with very little movement across their entire range. Other
members of its genus, for instance Grey fantails and Rufous fantails will hunt insects
on the wing in forested and woodland areas, whereas Willie wagtails with a larger
body size and longer legs are more suited to hunting on the ground. The wagging
and fanning of the tail and occasional flitting of the wings helps to flush out the prey
for them.
They will breed throughout the year in good seasons, but usually only in spring and
summer. The nest is a cup of grass bound and lined with spider web. The parents
will defend the nest quite aggressively, and often nest near Magpie larks, to gain the
benefits of their vigilance as well.
Although they are called Wagtails, technically speaking it is not actually their tail that
is wagging. That is because the terminal vertebrae in all adult modern birds are
fused together and can’t move, and this is what the tail feathers are attached to. The
apparent wagging of the tail occurs by the movement of the feathers themselves and
the lower part of the whole body, which is particularly evident in their close relative
the Flycatchers. For more information see www.birdbites.com.au
This article first appeared in the High Country Herald 16th of July 2024