Willie Wagtail
Willie WagtailWillie WagtailWillie WagtailWillie Wagtail

Willie Wagtail

Rhipidura leucophrys

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
80–90% · Very likely
overall probability at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
281 Verified records at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
April 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 →

80–90% of wildlife watchers report a Willie Wagtail sighting in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, based on 281 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

Grey Fantail
LC

Grey Fantail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhipidura albiscapa

<5% · Rare
White-plumed Honeyeater
LC Endemic

White-plumed Honeyeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ptilotula penicillata

80–90% · Very likely
Zebra Finch
LC

Zebra Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Taeniopygia guttata

70–80% · Very likely
Singing Honeyeater
LC Endemic

Singing Honeyeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gavicalis virescens

70–80% · Very likely
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
LC Endemic

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Acanthagenys rufogularis

60–70% · Likely
Yellow-throated Miner
LC Endemic

Yellow-throated Miner

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Manorina flavigula

60–70% · Likely
Black-faced Woodswallow
LC

Black-faced Woodswallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Artamus cinereus

50–60% · Likely
Gray Shrikethrush
LC

Gray Shrikethrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Colluricincla harmonica

40–50% · Likely
Purple-backed Fairywren
LC Endemic

Purple-backed Fairywren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Malurus assimilis

40–50% · Likely
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
LC

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coracina novaehollandiae

40–50% · Likely
Rufous Songlark

Rufous Songlark

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Megalurus mathewsi

30–40% · Possible
Grey-headed Honeyeater
LC Endemic

Grey-headed Honeyeater

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Ptilotula keartlandi

30–40% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

90–100
Jan
60–70
Feb
80–90
Mar
90–100
Apr
80–90
May
90–100
Jun
80–90
Jul
70–80
Aug
70–80
Sep
80–90
Oct
90–100
Nov
80–90
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 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park?

About 83% of wildlife watchers report a Willie Wagtail sighting in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, based on 281 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Willie Wagtail in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park?

April has the highest sighting rate for Willie Wagtail in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in our monthly data.

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