Rhipidura leucophrys

Willie Wagtail at Curtin, ACT

Rhipidura leucophrys at Curtin, ACT - 17 Feb 2022
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Identification history

Rhipidura leucophrys 17 Feb 2022 Liam.m
Rhipidura leucophrys 17 Feb 2022 RAllen

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User's notes

Reason for posting was it’s behaviour. This was an adult judging from its active primary moult. Bird was giving its loud chattering annoyed call that it gives when startling prey from cover or scolding when threatened. On closer inspection bird had a small cicada with black spots on wing (Galanga labeculata Double spotted cicada). It was trying to remove wings or at least reduce it to edible chunks. Surprisingly it was clasping cicada in left foot on hard ground and pecking at it. This looked very much like intelligent /adaptive behaviour. It then tried atop a 44 gallon steel drum to continue. Definitely a good hard anvil. All this time it continued its chatter.

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 1 Abundance
  • 17 Feb 2022 12:14 PM Recorded on
  • RAllen Recorded by

Species information

  • Rhipidura leucophrys Scientific name
  • Willie Wagtail Common name
  • Not Sensitive
  • Local native
  • Non-Invasive
  • -30.97m to 1473.6m Recorded at altitude
  • 566 images trained Machine learning
  • External link More information
  • Synonyms

    Rhipidura (Sauloprocta) leucophrys

Record quality

  • Images or audio
  • More than one media file
  • Confirmed by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
  • Additional attributes
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