Willie Wagtail
Willie WagtailWillie WagtailWillie WagtailWillie Wagtail

Willie Wagtail

Rhipidura leucophrys

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Daintree National Park
321 Verified records at Daintree National Park
February Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The willie wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) (also spelt willy wagtail) is a passerine bird native to Australia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Bismarck Archipelago, and Eastern Indonesia. It is a common and familiar bird throughout much of its range, living in most habitats apart from thick forest. Measuring 19–21.5 cm (7+1⁄2–8+1⁄2 in) in length, the willie wagtail is contrastingly coloured with almost entirely black upperparts and white underparts; the male and female have similar plumage. Three subspecies are recognised; Rhipidura leucophrys leucophrys from central and southern Australia, the smaller R. l. picata from northern Australia, and the larger R. l. melaleuca from New Guinea and islands in its vicinity. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Willie Wagtail sighting in Daintree National Park, based on 321 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Daintree National Park

Rufous Fantail
LC Endemic

Rufous Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura rufifrons

10–20% · With luck
Grey Fantail
LC

Grey Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura albiscapa

5–10% · With luck
Northern Fantail
LC

Northern Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura rufiventris

<5% · Rare
Welcome Swallow
LC

Welcome Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo neoxena

60–70% · Likely
Green Oriole
LC

Green Oriole

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oriolus flavocinctus

50–60% · Likely
Australasian Figbird
LC

Australasian Figbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sphecotheres vieilloti

50–60% · Likely
Spangled Drongo
LC

Spangled Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus bracteatus

50–60% · Likely
Helmeted Friarbird
LC

Helmeted Friarbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Philemon buceroides

50–60% · Likely
Shining Flycatcher
LC

Shining Flycatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Myiagra alecto

40–50% · Likely
Metallic Starling
LC

Metallic Starling

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Aplonis metallica

40–50% · Likely
Large-billed Gerygone
LC

Large-billed Gerygone

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gerygone magnirostris

40–50% · Likely
Yellow-spotted Honeyeater
LC Endemic

Yellow-spotted Honeyeater

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Meliphaga notata

40–50% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
30–40
Feb
10–20
Mar
20–30
Apr
20–30
May
20–30
Jun
10–20
Jul
10–20
Aug
10–20
Sep
10–20
Oct
5–10
Nov
20–30
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
80–90%
2 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
50–60%
3 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
4 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
5 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
6 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
7 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
8 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
9 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
10 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
11 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
12 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
13 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
14 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
15 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
16 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
17 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
5–10%
18 Lorentz National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Willie Wagtail in Daintree National Park?

About 17% of wildlife watchers report a Willie Wagtail sighting in Daintree National Park, based on 321 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Willie Wagtail in Daintree National Park?

February has the highest sighting rate for Willie Wagtail in Daintree National Park in our monthly data.

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