Bird of the week – the Willie Wagtail

I remember the first time I noticed this bird shortly after I arrived in Australia. It was a small forest reserve near Coolamon and I thought – what an exotic little bird! Perhaps this was a rare sighting??? It did a little dance flipping (wagging) its tail around, and I was charmed!

A few more months in, and I’m still charmed, although I’ve seen this showy little bird almost everywhere. Not only do they do their little dances everywhere (forests, paddocks and lawns), but they attract attention with their chipper chattering.

When you look at their range in Australia, they are likewise found all over, except Tasmania, but apparently they visit Tasmania occasionally on holidays as well.

Not surprisingly, there are many stories about these birds in aboriginal culture. Some aboriginals saw them as a bad omen and would stay home from an expedition if they saw one in the morning. Others felt the Willie Wagtails hanging around at the edge were listening for secrets to tell elsewhere. Willie wagtails inspire modern issues as well – like the story I read of a man who couldn’t sleep because a Willie Wagtail chattered outside his window all night.

Willie Wagtails are the largest and most noticed members of a showy group of birds in Australia – the fantails. All that wagging apparently helps them catch their insect prey somehow. Indeed, they are avid insectivores – I have often seen them leaping athletically after their insect prey.