Willie Wagtail

Description:

An adult Willie Wagtail is between 19 and 21.5 cm (7.5–8.5 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),and is tipped with a small hook.This species has longer legs than other fantails, which may be an adaptation to foraging on the ground.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,while juvenile birds themselves have duller plumage, their upperparts brown-tinged with some pale brown scallops on the head and breast.

Habitat:

The Willie Wagtail is at home in a wide variety of habitats, but avoids densely forested areas such as rainforest. It prefers semi-open woodland or grassland with scattered trees,often near wetlands or bodies of water.In New Guinea, it inhabits manmade clearings and grasslands, as well as open forest and mangroves.On Guadalcanal, it was reported from open areas and coconut groves.It has responded well to human alteration of the landscape and can often be seen hunting in open, grassed areas such as lawns, gardens, parkland, and sporting grounds.The species spread into the Western Australian Wheatbelt after the original vegetation had been cleared for agriculture.