Willie Wagtail
Willie WagtailWillie WagtailWillie WagtailWillie Wagtail

Willie Wagtail

Rhipidura leucophrys

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Great Otway National Park
658 Verified records at Great Otway National Park
September 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 →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Willie Wagtail sighting in Great Otway National Park, based on 658 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Great Otway National Park

Grey Fantail
LC

Grey Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura albiscapa

60–70% · Likely
Rufous Fantail
LC Endemic

Rufous Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura rufifrons

5–10% · With luck
Superb Fairywren
LC Endemic

Superb Fairywren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Malurus cyaneus

80–90% · Very likely
Australian Magpie
LC

Australian Magpie

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gymnorhina tibicen

70–80% · Very likely
Red Wattlebird
LC Endemic

Red Wattlebird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anthochaera carunculata

70–80% · Very likely
Welcome Swallow
LC

Welcome Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo neoxena

60–70% · Likely
Brown Thornbill
LC Endemic

Brown Thornbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Acanthiza pusilla

60–70% · Likely
New Holland Honeyeater
LC Endemic

New Holland Honeyeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phylidonyris novaehollandiae

60–70% · Likely
Gray Shrikethrush
LC

Gray Shrikethrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Colluricincla harmonica

50–60% · Likely
Pied Currawong
LC Endemic

Pied Currawong

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Strepera graculina

50–60% · Likely
White-browed Scrubwren
LC Endemic

White-browed Scrubwren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sericornis frontalis

50–60% · Likely
Silvereye
LC Endemic

Silvereye

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zosterops lateralis

40–50% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
10–20
Feb
20–30
Mar
20–30
Apr
10–20
May
20–30
Jun
10–20
Jul
30–40
Aug
30–40
Sep
20–30
Oct
20–30
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 Great Otway National Park?

About 23% of wildlife watchers report a Willie Wagtail sighting in Great Otway National Park, based on 658 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

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

September has the highest sighting rate for Willie Wagtail in Great Otway National Park in our monthly data.

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