Small pipit; adults distinctive with rusty-red face and throat (paler in winter), contrasting with streaked white belly.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyWagtails and Pipits
SizeSmall
RarityRare
Habitatwaterbodies, woody trees scattered, herbaceous graminoids sparse hummock grasses, sparse woodland, and shrubland
Best timeMost reliable in Western Australia from December to January.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by David Darrell-Lambert
Range map
Range map
4visible hotspots
40visible records
1states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
The back is heavily streaked black, white, and brown, and the rump is also streaked. Winters in a range of damp, open habitats, such as wet fields, marshlands, pastures, and riverbanks. Camouflaged and difficult to spot on the ground.
Behavior
Breeds in mountains and on the tundra in open grasslands and boggy areas with willows.
Gallery
Regional timing
Western Australia
Commonly confused with
White WagtailMotacilla albaShows considerable variation in plumage across the world, but never has a clear, thin and contrasting eye-brow like White-browed or Japanese Wagtail. Usually seen as singles, pairs, or small groups walking and running around, pumping the long, white-sided tail up and down.→Eastern Yellow WagtailMotacilla tschutschensisSlender and long-tailed, bright yellow below with paler throat and grayish-olive back; extremely variable. Tail is black with white outer feathers; often pumps tail up and down while walking on the ground. Young birds lack yellow color, but have distinctive head pattern. Often seen near water. Common breeder on Arctic tundra from Alaska to Russia; found in grassy and waterside habitats in Southeast Asian wintering grounds and in migration.→