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Jacky WinterAlternate name(s): "Peter-Peter", "Post-boy", "Post-sitter", "Brown Flycatcher", "White-tail", "Stumpbird", "Spinks" ![]() Size: 12-14 cm Weight: 9-19 g |
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Photos |
Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a
look here .
Race "fascinans"
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ADULT |
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PAIR |
Pair of Jacky Winters on an old barbed-wire fence line
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, September 2008]
Pair of Jacky Winters on their vantage point
(photo of M. Windeyer)
[Gilgandra Flora Reserve, NSW, May 2016]
Pair of Jacky Winters on a twig
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
Sex unknown |
Close-up frontal portrait of an adult Jacky Winter
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, May 2022]
Close-up frontal portrait of a Jacky Winter looking sideways
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, May 2022]
Frontal/ventral view of a Jacky Winter
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
Close-up near-frontal view of a Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2016]
Near-frontal view of a Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2012]
Near-frontal view of a Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2012]
Jacky Winter on its perch late in the evening
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, April 2006]
This photo shows clearly the white outer tail feathers of a Jacky
Winter that are also prominent in flight; this is the feature that
distinguishes Jacky Winters from other robins and makes identification
in flight easy (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
Close-up near-lateral view of a Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2016]
Lateral view of a Jacky Winter with its feathers ruffled by wind
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, February 2006]
Close-up lateral view of a Jacky Winter (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Station, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Lateral view of a Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2015]
Lateral view of a Jacky Winter, now with its head turned
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2015]
Lateral view of a Jacky Winter in bright sunlight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2015]
If nothing else, the posture of this Jacky Winter angling its wings
shows that Jacky Winters belong to the family of the robins
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, February 2006]
Near-dorsal view of a Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2012]
Near-dorsal view of a Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2016]
Near-dorsal view of a Jacky Winter; they can become quite docile:
one look over the shoulder was enough for this bird to recognize
the photographer - and continue marking its territory
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]
In wintertime Jacky Winters can look a lot "fatter", because
they are puffed up to protect themselves against cold weather
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, May 2008]
Dorsal view of a Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2012]
Dorsal view of a Jacky Winter (right) and a
White-plumed Honeyeater
(left)
(photo taken by R. Druce)
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, July 2011]
Distant dorsal view of a Jacky Winter in low flight, exhibiting
clearly its white outer tail feathers, which distinguish this
species from other robins
[Narran Lake NR,
near Walgett, NSW, July 2014]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Close-up lateral view of an immature Jacky Winter; only the
white tips on the wing coverts still indicate juvenile feathers
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2019]
Lateral view of an immature Jacky Winter; only the white tips
on the wing coverts still indicate juvenile feathers
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2019]
Dorsal view of an immature Jacky Winter; only the white tips
on the wing coverts still indicate juvenile feathers
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2019]
Near-frontal view of an immature Jacky Winter; note the already
plain-grey front, but remaining streaks on the cap
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2016]
Lateral view of an immature Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2019]
Neaar-dorsal view of an immature Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2019]
Dorsal view of an immature Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2019]
Near-frontal view of a juvenile Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, October 2015]
Lateral view of a juvenile Jacky Winter
[Near Narrabri, NSW, December 2014]
Lateral view of a juvenile Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, December 2018]
Juvenile Jacky Winter adorning an "Hill's hoist"
[Eulah Creek, December 2018]
Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, October 2015]
Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Jacky Winter
[Eulah Creek, October 2015]
Dorsal view of a juvenile Jacky Winter stretching a wing
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[South Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2015]
Two fledgling Jacky Winters, 5 days after leaving their nest;
the two little rascals observe their parents; every move...
[Eulah Creek, October 2015]
... when not watching that curious photographer
[Eulah Creek, October 2015]
Time for a feed! Adult Jacky Winter feeding one of its fledglings
[Eulah Creek, October 2015]
Adult Jacky Winter preparing to feed one of its fledglings
[Eulah Creek, October 2015]
Frontal/ventral view of a fledgling Jacky Winter waiting to be fed
[Eulah Creek, October 2015]
Race "pallida"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Lateral view of an adult Jacky Winter
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of an adult Jacky Winter (right),
together with a dependent juvenile (left)
[Sturt NP, NSW,
September 2012]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Distant lateral view of a juvenile Jacky Winter
[Sturt NP, NSW,
September 2012]
Distant dorsal view of a juvenile Jacky Winter
[Sturt NP, NSW,
September 2012]
Race "assimilis"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Near-lateral view of an adult Jacky Winter
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Gilles, SA, June 2023]
Lateral view of a Jacky Winter on its nest
(photo courtesy of R. Brinsley)
[85 km West of Wentworth, NSW, October 2011]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Close-up lateral view of an immature Jacky Winter; note the
white tips on the wing coverts
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Gilles, SA, June 2023]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Jul - Jan | Eggs: 2 | Incubation period: 14-15 days | Fledging age: ca. 15 days |
Nest building: Female & male | Incubation: Female | Dependent care: Female & male |
The breeding seasons of Jacky Winters depends on geographic latitude and on weather conditions, especially in the semi-arid interior of the continent. Given the right conditions, in particular after good inland rainfall, Jacky Winters can in principle breed at any time of the year.
Jacky Winter, race "fascinans", suffering the shock of its life when
encountering a Lace Monitor in a tree hollow
[Leard State Forest, NSW, April 2013]
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Basket | Material: Rootlets, grass stems, bark fibre, webs | Height above ground: 0.5 - 20 m |
Jacky Winter nests are always blended into a (near-)horizontal fork, often of a dead branch.
In September 2016 we were able to observe in detail the behaviour of a pair of Jacky Winters during a particularly wet period. While the female continued incubating through rain events, as soon as the chicks had hatched she helped with feeding the chicks. The need for both Jacky Winter parents to feed themselves and two chicks is so urgent that, on a rainy morning when the chicks were about 3 days old, the female still left the nest unattended to go hunting at the break of dawn - and the chicks died within about an hour. Two more feeding attempts were made, one and two hours after daybreak, but when there was no response, the nest was abandoned.
There is now a separate page describing some more of the behaviour observed at and around the nest.
A new attempt was made by the same pair in a new nest, about 50 m from the old one, in October 2016.
Close look at a Jacky Winter, race "assimilis", on its nest
(photo courtesy of R. Brinsley)
[85 km west of Wentworth, NSW, October 2011]
"Multi-tasking" Jacky Winter on its nest: Incubating AND
hunting dinner at the same time? Not a problem!
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[South Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2017]
Jacky Winter on its nest in a fork of an
Acacia salicina
tree going for a second attempt, after losing a brood
to rain a month earlier; this nest was later probably destroyed by a male
Rufous Songlark
who showed very aggressive behaviour against the Jacky Winters
when establishing its own territory, including a favourite
perch near the nest site
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2016]
This third nest, which was constructed under the "umbrella" of a
Magpie-lark nest,
was later destroyed by a severe hail storm
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2016]
Hungry young Jacky Winter begging for food (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, January 2019]
Near-fledging age Jacky Winter chick stretching a wing
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, January 2019]
Near-fledging age Jacky Winter chick practicing its wing beat
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, January 2019]
Near-fledging age Jacky Winter chick practicing its wing beat
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, January 2019]
Jacky Winter nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Station, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Frontal view of a Jacky Winter on its nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Station, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Lateral view of a Jacky Winter on its nest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Station, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Jacky Winter tending to its young
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2015]
Jacky Winter nestling in cryptic posture
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2018]
Jacky Winter nestling in cryptic posture
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2018]
Jacky Winter chick preening
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2015]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 19 x 14 mm | Colour: Bluish-grey, with light- to mid-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
Jacky Winter, race "assimilis", nest, with two eggs in it (photo
courtesy of R. Brinsley)
[85 km west of Wentworth, NSW, September 2011]
Jacky Winter nest with two eggs in it
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2016]
Clear view of Jacky Winter eggs from above (with the help of a mirror)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2016]
Jacky Winter egg found broken and emptied by a predator
[Eulah Creek, NSW]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Sedentary/locally migratory | Elementary unit: Pair |
Similar to Willie Wagtails, Jacky Winters can be opportunistic hunters. They will accompany us during garden work to pick off insects disturbed by us, sometimes coming close. Jacky Winters are the only Australian songbird known to us that will sing most vigorously in wintertime (hence the name...).
A Jacky Winter was seen by us hustling a Sacred Kingfisher, indicating that they may compete for the same food sources. Similarly, Jacky Winters are protective of their territory against other types of robins, such as e.g. the smaller Red-capped Robin.
The first time we have noticed fledgling Jacky Winters to use the tail flick characteristic of the species was about 7 days after leaving the nest, at about the same time as they started meeting their parents in the air to beg for food.
Jacky Winters can hover in a spot while hunting
[Near Barraba, NSW, December 2014]
Although Jacky Winters usually hunt from low perches such as fence
posts, pickets or low branches of trees, they can occasionally be
seen using very low perches and even being on the lookout on flat
ground
[Pillga NP,
NSW, August 2023]
Like other bird species, Jacky Winters defend their nest against
intrusions; here a female
Rufous Whistler
has come too close at a time when the nest was not even finished yet
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2016]
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Food, Diet |
Like all other robins (all families), Jacky Winters are flycatchers. Most robins hunt for insects from low to mid-level perches. Jacky Winters can often be seen hunting from fence lines.
Jacky Winter with its catch, a grasshopper
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2016]
Jacky Winter that has caught a juicy caterpillar
[Near Barraba, NSW, December 2014]
Near-lateral view of a Jacky Winter with its catch
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2013]
Lateral view of a Jacky Winter with its catch
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2013]
Jacky Winter seen by us looking for insects on the ground,
under a tree infested with psyllids
[Eulah Creek, NSW, June 2012]
One peculiarity that we have noticed twice now in Jacky Winters (and in no other bird species yet) is that birds coughed up insects they had caught and swallowed before.
This Jacky Winter was caught on camera when it was moving in a
strange way, as if throwing up; in fact, as it opened its bill,
an insect flew out (which was not caught on camera...)!
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2012]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
jwinter_20141019.mp3 |
fascinans (NW NSW) |
Territorial call | © MD | |
jwinter_20151021.mp3 |
fascinans (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls | © MD | |
jwinter_20210924.m4a |
fascinans (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls | © MD | |
jwinter_20180802.m4a |
fascinans (NW NSW) |
Territorial calls, long sequence | © MD | |
jwinter_20160111.mp3 |
fascinans (NW NSW) |
Warning call (Australian Koel) | © MD | |
jwinter_20151015_3.mp3 |
fascinans (NW NSW) |
Annoyed call/warning | © MD | |
jwinter_20190201.m4a |
fascinans (NW NSW) |
Young bird practicing | © MD | |
jwinter_20190201_2.m4a |
fascinans (NW NSW) |
Young bird practicing | © MD | |
jwinter_20150913.mp3 |
fascinans (NW NSW) |
Various | © MD | |
jwinter_20151015.mp3 |
fascinans (NW NSW) |
Begging calls (fledglings) | © MD | |
jwinter_20140519_1.mp3 |
fascinans (NW NSW) |
? | © MD |
More Jacky Winter sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.