Willy Wagtail

These birds constantly wag their tails. The male and female look alike and they usually pair for life. It is mostly glossy black with white underparts.

They have a white eyebrow which they expand when they are angry and contract when they are submissive. They are fearless when defending their territory.

They love lightly timbered areas with clearings in which they hunt for food.

They are great hunters but extremely hard to photograph as they move so quickly. Above is one of those photos that could have been so much better. Quite burry but you can still see the bird hunting the dragonfly whilst carrying another he has already captured in his foot.

They hunt insects in long or short flights. Very interesting to watch.

They make a distinctive song and a rattling alarm call.

They make a cup nest and I am pretty sure this bird is pinching some materials from another birds nest……which looks nothing like a cup. They usually lay 2-4 eggs.

David Taylor