Willy Wagtail 3561

An extremely rare white-willy wagtail.

I was exceptionally lucky to capture some photos of the White-Willy Wagtail.

The willie wagtail is insectivorous and spends much time chasing prey in open habitat. Its common name is derived from its habit of wagging its tail horizontally when foraging on the ground. Aggressive and territorial, the willie wagtail will often harass much larger birds such as the laughing kookaburra and wedge-tailed eagle. It has responded well to human alteration of the landscape and is a common sight in urban lawns, parks, and gardens. It was widely featured in Aboriginal folklore around the country as either a bringer of bad news or a stealer of secrets.

An adult willie wagtail is between 19 and 21.5 cm (7.5 and 8.5 in) in length and weighs 17–24 g (0.6–0.85 oz), with a tail 10–11 cm (approx 4 in) long. The short, slender bill measures 1.64–1.93 cm (around 0.75 in),^[9] and is tipped with a small hook.^[27] This species has longer legs than other fantails, which may be an adaptation to foraging on the ground.^[28] The male and female have similar plumage; the head, throat, upper breast, wings, upperparts, and tail are all black, with a white eyebrow, "whiskers" and underparts. The bill and legs are black and the iris dark brown. Immature birds in their first year after moulting from juvenile plumage may have pale tips in their wings,^[9] while juvenile birds themselves have duller plumage, their upperparts brown-tinged with some pale brown scallops on the head and breast

Source Reference: Wikipedia


© DPasschier. All rights reserved. My images may not be reproduced or used in any form without my permission.