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White-winged Triller

(Lalage tricolor [sueurii])
Alternative names: "White-shouldered Caterpillar-easter", "Peewee-lark"
Size: 16-19 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

White-winged Trillers populate basically the entire Australian continent. At the tip of Cape York peninsula and in the most arid parts the country (the major deserts in the western half of WA, south of the Kimberley region) they are found only rarely.

White-winged Trillers can be found in various types of habitat, from closed forest to open plains with scattered trees.

Sightings

Although we know that they were around for an extended period of time, we have seen White-winged Trillers only once in 2004 where we lived at the time south of Narrabri, NSW. In 2005 a couple appeared again in our garden and returned in late September 2006.

The next sighting was in September 2007, 20 km east of Narrabri. Seen again in the same area and also 20 km south-west of Narrabri in September-November 2008. Also spotted 30 km east of Narrabri, on the western fringes of Mt. Kaputar National Park, in November 2008. Seen once again 20 km east of Narrabri in December 2010.

Next seen 20 km east of Narrabri in October 2011. However, while still seen during a major rain event in late November (170 mm of rain in two days), for unknown reasons they were all gone by the end of it.

Photos

Frontal view of a male bird in breeding plumage

Near-frontal view of a male bird in breeding plumage

Lateral view of the same bird as shown above

Lateral view of a male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage

Dorsal view of a male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage

Frontal view of a male in transitional plumage; nothing distinguishes it from full breeding plumage

Lateral view of the same bird as above; now one can see the remaining brown on its wing, which will disappear shortly

Frontal view of a male White-winged Triller in non-breeding plumage

Lateral view of a male White-winged Triller in its non-breeding plumage

Frontal view of a female White-winged Triller

Female White-winged Triller

Pair of White-winged Trillers in a paddock, foraging on the ground; the male is seen at the lower left

Lateral view of a juvenile White-winged Triller in a White Cedar tree

Juvenile White-winged Triller on a fence

Breeding information

Breeding season: Sep - Feb Eggs: 2 - 3 Incubation period: 14 days Fledging age: 13 - 15 days

The breeding season of White-winged Trillers depends significantly on geographical latitude. In the tropical north they may breed at the end of the wet season. Given the right conditions White-winged Trillers can breed any time of the year.

Nest

Type: Bowl Material: Grass, rootlets, webs Height above ground: 2 - 10 m

Male White-winged Triller "harvesting" a spider's web for use in binding its nest

Eggs

Size: 21 x 15 mm Colour: Light-brown, with many large dark-brown patches Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal/territorial Mobility: N sedentary, S migratory Elementary unit: Single/pair

Male White-winged Trillers use vantage points to issue their calls so as to be heard from afar. Obviously, they cannot do this all day long, but need to feed in the meantime. While feeding they also intersperse periods of singing, see photos below.

White-winged Trillers are semi-colonial breeders. Several pairs can nest close to each other, but they have separate territories for foraging.

White-winged Triller singing from a high vantage point; this is a point where the bird sits purely to be heard

Here the same bird as above is foraging for insects in a black pine tree, but also puts in some more effort into attracting a female

Food

White-winged Trillers usually hunt insects in flight, but will take them from foliage or the ground as well.