22

White-winged Triller

(Lalage tricolor [sueurii])
: "White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater", "Peewee-lark"

Aboriginal name(s): "koomolkolong" (WA)
Size: 16-19 cm
Weight: 20-32 g

Similar species

Description

Classification

Distribution

Sightings

Photos

Breeding

Nest

Eggs

Behaviour

Food

Call/s

Physical description

Click here for physical description of this species Click here for a physical description

White-winged Trillers are small bushland birds. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. In addition, males have different breeding and eclipse plumages. During the breeding season, male White-winged Trillers have a black top of the head, nape of the neck and mantle. The wings are also black, with wide white shoulder bars and white edge lining. The rump is grey, the tail is black, with a white tip. The entire front, from the lower sides of the head and the throat to the undertail coverts, is all-white. In eclipse, the formerly black parts of male White-winged Trillers (crown, nape of the neck, mantle, wing bars) turn brownish-grey. The sides of the head turn whitish, except for narrow black lores and eye-stripes. Female White-winged Trillers are much more inconspicuous than males. Although their plumage has roughly the same morphology as males in eclipse, their colours are much duller. They are greyish-brown throughout, except for a more greyish throat patch and off-white belly, vent and undertail coverts and darker brown eye-stripes compared to the rest of the face. The flight feathers and the tail are darker brownish-grey than the rest of their plumage. Only the rump is light-grey in both sexes. Immature White-winged Trillers resemble females.

Taxonomy, classification

See White-winged Triller at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org .

The global distribution of the White-winged Triller is available HERE .

White-winged Trillers used to be endemic to Australia, but have in recent times also been reported from southern New Guinea.

In Australia they populate almost the entire continent. They are found only rarely at the tip of Cape York peninsula and in the most arid parts the country (the major deserts in the eastern half of WA and South of the Kimberley). During the breeding season they are found only in the western half of WA, in the Kimberley and the Top End of the NT, plus the south-eastern quarter of the continent.

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

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Although we know that they were around for an extended period of time, we saw White-winged Trillers only rarely 20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, in 2003-2006.

In the same period, we also occasionally found them 20 km West of Narrabri.

Next we spotted White-winged Trillers in September 2007, at Eulah Creek, 20 km East of Narrabri. Since then we see them semi-regularly, e.g. in Deriah Aboriginal Area, 30 km East of Narrabri, on the western fringes of Mt. Kaputar NP. Since then they are seen by us in north-western inland NSW annually.

A single White-winged Triller was spotted by us in the Flinders Ranges, SA, in March 2008.

R. Plumtree reports spotting White-winged Trillers at Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, semi-regularly.

H. Mouritsen reports spotting White-winged Trillers in various locations in and around Darwin, NT, in October 2015.

J. Greaves reports spotting a male White-winged Triller at Boolardy Station, Murchison, WA, in August 2016.

B. Hensen reports finding White-winged Trillers at Leanyer, Darwin, NT, in July 2018.

M. Mearns reports spotting White-winged Trillers at Diamantina NP, QLD, in August 2019.

Photos

ADULT

MALE

BREEDING

Frontal portrait of a male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Frontal portrait of a male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage; a few remaining grey-brown feathers are still visible on the crown
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Frontal view of a male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2008]

Near-frontal view of a male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2011]

Lateral view of the same White-winged Triller as shown above
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2011]

Close-up lateral view of a male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Lateral view of a male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Lateral view of a male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage, hunting for insects
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Lateral view of a male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage in grassland (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2013]

This is the male White-winged Triller whose calls were recorded on 18 November 2014
[Near Narrabri, NSW, November 2014]

Dorsal view of a male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2008]

Male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage marking its territory - this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 26 October 2016
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2016]

Male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage marking its territory; more lateral view - this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 26 October 2016
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2016]

Distant view of a male White-winged Triller in breeding plumage in flight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2019]

NON-BREEDING

Frontal view of a male White-winged Triller in transitional plumage; the leading edges of the wings are already black, but the head has not moulted yet
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Frontal view of a male White-winged Triller in transitional plumage; nothing distinguishes it from full breeding plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]

Near-lateral view of a male White-winged Triller in transitional plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]

Lateral view of a male White-winged Triller moulting into breeding plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Frontal view of a male White-winged Triller in transitory (mostly non-breeding) plumage

Lateral view of a male White-winged Triller in non-breeding plumage
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2007]

Lateral view of a male White-winged Triller in transitory (mostly non-breeding) plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a male White-winged Triller in transitory (mostly non-breeding) plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2017]

Dorsal view of a male White-winged Triller in transitory (mostly non-breeding) plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a male White-winged Triller in non-breeding plumage (photo P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong Road, off Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]

Lateral view of a male White-winged Triller in non-breeding plumage taking off (photo P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong Road, off Arnhem Highway, NT, July 2018]

FEMALE

Frontal portrait of a female White-winged Triller
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Frontal view of a female White-winged Triller
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]

Frontal/ventral view of a female White-winged Triller
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2018]

Near-frontal view of a female White-winged Triller
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]

Near-lateral portrait of a female White-winged Triller
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Lateral portrait of a female White-winged Triller
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Lateral view of a female White-winged Triller
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2019]

Close-up lateral view of a female White-winged Triller
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Lateral view of a female White-winged Triller carrying food for its chick; note the barring on flank and shoulder
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2018]

Lateral view of a female White-winged Triller in an Acacia salicina tree
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]

Note the strong barring on the flanks of this female White-winged Triller
[Near Bugilbone, NSW, November 2017]

Dorsal view of a female White-winged Triller
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2019]

Pair of White-winged Trillers in a paddock, foraging on the ground; the male is seen at the lower left
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, October 2006]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of an immature male White-winged Triller; note the dark cap and the absence of a visible supercilium
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]

Lateral view of an immature male White-winged Triller (photo taken through a fence)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]

Lateral view of an immature male White-winged Triller; note the dark cap and the absence of a visible supercilium
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]

Ventral view of an immature male White-winged Triller
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]

Frontal view of a juvenile White-winged Triller
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2007]

Close-up frontal/ventral view of the underside of a juvenile White-winged Triller
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2013]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile White-winged Triller
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2013]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile White-winged Triller (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Buffalo Creek, Darwin, NT, September 2018]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile White-winged Triller
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2007]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile White-winged Triller
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2007]

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 building: Female & male Incubation: Female & male Dependent care: Female & male

Nest
"bungobittah", "malunna" = nest [Aboriginal]

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

White-winged Triller nests found by us are different compared to what is described in field guides in several respects: They are not always placed on a fork, they are not always as shallow as reported in field guides, and they can be well-hidden in dense foliage, rather than in the open on a fork of a dead branch.

White-winged Triller hatchling in its nest (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2018]

Male White-winged Triller on its nest (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2018]

Female White-winged Triller on its nest (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2018]

Female White-winged Triller working on its nest (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2019]

View from below of a White-winged Triller nest in a rough-barked Acacia salicina tree; this nest was constructed under the "umbrella" of a Magpie-lark nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2016]

Female White-winged Triller working on its well-hidden nest, with the male in attendance
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2016]

Male White-winged Triller helping with the construction of the nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2016]

Male White-winged Triller "harvesting" a spider's web for use in binding its nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2011]

Eggs
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

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: Solitary/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. However, we have also observed both males and females of different pairs forage together in a small area during the breeding season.

White-winged Triller singing from a high vantage point; this is a point where the bird sits purely to be heard
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]

Here the same White-winged Triller as above is foraging for insects in a black pine tree, but also puts in some more effort into attracting a female
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]

Male White-winged Triller spreading its wings while taking a shower
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2014]

Male White-winged Triller having a shower under a garden sprinkler, raising its mantle and rump feathers
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2014]

Male White-winged Triller raising its mantle and rump feathers
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2014]

Food, Diet

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

Female White-winged Triller with its prey, a larva
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2015]

Female White-winged Triller with its prey, a grasshopper
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2018]

Male White-winged Triller feeding on nectar (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Berriwillock, VIC, October 2019]

Female White-winged Triller feeding on nectar (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Berriwillock, VIC, October 2019]

White-winged Triller taking nectar from a flower... (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

... and feeling quite possessive about it (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

Female White-winged Triller looking for prey in a flowering Grevillea robusta
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2018]

This male White-winged Triller appears to be taking nectar from a flowering Grevillea robusta, rather than insects visiting the flowers
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2018]

Male White-winged Triller drinking by taking droplets from grass
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2014]

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.

wwtrill_20161026_2.m4a	(NW NSW)	Territorial call (male)	© MD
wwtrill_pb_20181117.m4a	(Inland NT)	Territorial call (male)	© PB
wwtrill_20161026_4.m4a	(NW NSW)	Territorial calls (male)	© MD
wwtrill_20161026_3.m4a	(NW NSW)	Territorial calls (male)	© MD
wwtrill_20141118_2.mp3	(NW NSW)	Territorial call (male)	© MD
wwtrill_20161026.mp3	(NW NSW)	Territorial calls (male) (with background)	© MD
wwtrill_20150913.mp3	(NW NSW)	Territorial call (2 males)	© MD
wwtrill_20150911.mp3	(NW NSW)	Territorial calls (2 males)	© MD

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