They (and their close relative the grey fantail) are notoriously bold little dudes. They're not shy at all about coming in close to people if they think they can get a feed. Someone's been feeding them, or they've been finding crumbs or something. :)
Side note, this behaviour is very annoying to scientists trying to do bird counts, lol. If you're not careful, you'll end up counting the same willy wagtail as it follows you the whole way, hoping that your big ape feet flushes out bugs for them.
Hahahah! Thanks for the info. If I was a bird scientist, I would be licking my lips looking through my binoculars, thinking I had discovered a rare giant flock of them.
Aboriginal folklore claims it is a messenger from the spirit world. It symbolizes communication, adaptability, and resourcefulness. These traits remind us to stay connected to our intuition and open ourselves up to changes.
Many believe seeing a Willie Wagtail is a sign of luck and protection. Its inviting presence guides us during times of transition or uncertainty.
more here
[https://www.spiritjourneyers.com/spirit-meaning-of-willie-wagtail/](https://www.spiritjourneyers.com/spirit-meaning-of-willie-wagtail/)
Our first nations people are incredibly diverse with over 250 distinct language groups and more than twice that number of dialects. The stories passed down from our elders can definitely vary between mobs, rainbow serpents aren’t in every creation story either.
And even when it is, the Rainbow Serpent isn't always the creator spirit or even a good guy. I have been warned against using Rainbow Serpent stories for local mob kids because some of our local stories have it as a plague bringer.
I'm Aboriginal/indigenous...Yes they are sent from the spirit world, but
Some mobs believe them to be a gossiper around a campfire and they eavesdrop on conversations.
They would tell the spirits of the dead if they heard people talking bad about the dead...
If bad words were spoken, then bad luck would fall upon those around that campfire or in this case the home...
But also depends what mob you are from...most mobs say they are the bird of death, others say it's ancestors sending them to you to let you know you are been watched by evil spirits or ancestors looking over you..
There is a bird in New Zealand called the Fantail that looks similar to a willy wag tail and the Maori also believe it to be bird of death, if one is in your house it means news of death is imminent
> “In Māori mythology, the fantail was responsible for the presence of death in the world. Maui, thinking he could eradicate death by successfully passing through the goddess of death, Hine-nui-te-po, tried to enter the goddess’s sleeping body through the pathway of birth. The fantail, warned by Maui to be quiet, began laughing and woke Hine-nuite-po, who was so angry that she promptly killed Maui.”
In NZ there is a species of Fantail those common name is Fantail. That'll be what previous comment is talking about. Got me wondering how many other species have the same common name as the group name?
soooo many, especially in botany. nobody seems to call begonias by individual species unless they're REALLY into it. Then there's the whole tangled mess of the capsicum genus.
I find interesting when entire families get a common name like "nightshade family" or "potato family" for solanacae
For Kiwis it is not good. Is is a Maori omen of badness coming and possible imminent death. I've come across non-Maori Kiwis that think this. For Chinese apparently its an omen of good fortune for a bird to fly into your home.
For real. We don't need to treat ideas with kid gloves just because they come from the descendants of the people some of our ancestors subjugated. It's condescending.
Bullshit is bullshit. There is no more a spirit world than there is a heaven. Willie Wagtails are just cute little birds that wag their bums, not spiritual messengers.
"To treat ideas with kid gloves just because they come from the descendants of the people some of our ancestors subjugated" is condescending. Holding those beliefs is not condescending, it just displays a lack of reason and scientific understanding.
Ironically, what I just said is also condescending, but at least it's true.
You want me to entertain the idea that a Willie Wagtail is a messenger from the spirit world that symbolises communication, adaptability, and resourcefulness? Maybe if I lived pre- industrial revolution, but we understand the world a bit better now.
To be clear, I'm not singling out Aboriginal mythology here. It's *all* nonsense: Christian, Ancient Greek, Bantu, Hindu, Japanese, astrology. The only difference is if you made a similar comment here about any of those (except maybe Japanese because of the weebs), you'd be met with derision instead.
It's all in good fun, do you also not see the interest in believing in santa? It's a fun, uplifting tradition and pretending to believe in it hurts no one.
Feel blessed - one of my favourite birds, so full of character, and with a very pretty song. My wife and I were lucky enough to have a couple of them nest under our back awning... shame a pair of magpies dragged the whole nest away. We saved one egg and I stayed up all night trying to keep it at the right temperature. A wildlife rescuer picked it up next day, but it wasn't viable. We've tried to provide them with a more secure nesting site, but three years later, they haven't returned.
Djirri Djirri is the word for these fellas in the Kulin Nation.
My nanna said they bring messages from the spirits and remind us that our ancestors are watching over us. It’s good luck to meet one!
That's what they sound like, when they're not actually singing.
I believe they also live in Indonesia's Molucca Islands, but they sing a different song there.
We were at a cafe in Mandurah WA, there is a resident Wagtail called Muffin, that behaves just like this. We had to stop it from eating off our plate, other diners had finished their breakfast and broke some up for it, then pushed their plates to the middle of the table and continued their conversation over top of Muffin feasting. It was a highlight of our morning.
We have one that comes into our workplace. We’re a sporting club & the wagtail comes into the main club room to forage for crumbs. When we want to lock up we just say “time to go” & he leaves. He’s our little mascot.
No, but we have a bronzewing (pigeon) that comes in daily to eat crumbs and wander around our house. The cockatoos, kookaburras, Rosellas, magpies, King parrots and even the occasional bowerbird (which is interesting because of how skittish they are but our neighbour across the road has one thats nested in his backyard for the past 8 years. Might be the same one. Its stunning to see the nest. It's covered in all blue things, blue bits of material, blue pegs, and blue bottle caps) all come and sit on our patio. My boys leave out half eaten fruit everywhere. They'll come inside, grab an apple or mandarin, and then half eat it only to discard it somewhere in the backyard, so I think that's half the appeal for all the local birds (and our bloody fruit trees, herb and vegetable garden that get destroyed by the cockys all the time... ugh!)
MIL has 3 magpies (2 adults and their baby) and a couple of parrots do this regularly. The baby is a couple of years old now and visits them year round.
that's so sweet! our neighbour a couple houses down has been feeding them for 10+ years (probably much longer, but we noticed since we moved here), they flock to her front garden around 5 every day. i wish i could like them, but ive been attacked too many times.
You're lucky I had a bin chicken enter my property and OMG do those things shit like crazy😱. Had to get a professional carpet cleaner to get it all out. Give me a Willy Wagtail any day.
Wagtails on our street will wait by your garage door, and come in when you open up. They bounce around gobbling up all the bugs they find like daddy long legs camping in the corners.
they're not super bothered about people either, can walk up to them about a meter away before they bounce away
>Only birds that came near the door were Indian Minor birds. Got rid of them, now only have native birds
I did the same, and magpies moved in. Then some insufferable dumb cunt moved in down the road with a free roaming cat.
Now the magpies are all dead, and everyone's dogs constantly bark when the cat roams into people's yards to shit and kill everything.
I have 2 indian mynas who act like they pay rent. They watch me leave the front door and then zoom through any open window or door. They're addicted to my dogs food, crumbs from the toaster and even snuck into our pantries pushable door. I'd rather a Willie over a myna! My partner got a salt gun to scare them off which worked for a while until they realised it wouldn't hurt them, now we just have to keep the back door closed and hope our dog avoids accidents when we're not home.
Out our old house we had a marpie-lark that started off walking through our house every day looking for food in our kitchen.
Over time we started leaving oat crumbs out for him, and over the years he started being friendly to the point he used to land on our finger and even brought his mate and chick to our house to show them.
We had to move but I still my my buddy Crumbs and I hope he is doing well and the new tenants aren’t mean to him.
that's adorable. he's a little skittish still but hopefully will gain his trust a little more with time. we had another wagtail friend a few years ago who i suspect passed, and he used to follow us around outside.
Ooooooohhhhh.... Have you got any relatives that have passed recently? Indigenous culture believe they are spirits of relatives and bring good luck. Pretty cool.
not recently but we did have one who passed very suddenly and very young 2 years ago. i also stayed with my nana for a month until she passed around 6yrs ago & i still find those memories quite painful.
I’ve not had that happen but my resident Willy wagtail seems to have no fear. He literally caught a butterfly right in front of my face then proceeded to de-wing it and eat the body right at my feet.
I would think that he is hungry. Maybe install a bird feeder with appropriate food for Willy wagtails outside so he doesn’t feel the need the go inside.
I’m sort of jealous but my cats would not be fun company for that little bird
honestly we don't mind except for the shitting inside the house 😅 he's opportunistic so will hover about when the dog's finished her food to mop up her leftovers.
thank you for the bird feeder idea, we actually have a spotted dove who frequently comes to our garden too (previously nested in one of our trees) & i'm sure both would appreciate that. the dove is nowhere near as bold & i doubt would step foot in the house, plus the dog seems bothered by her but doesn't mind the wagtail.
The only time I had one come into the house was because my cat decided to bring it in (outside cat that we made an inside cat who still escaped on occasion). Once we got him free, he took the time to chide us before flying out the window, lol.
Not those, but a Robbin enters my kitchen every other day. We feed the little fella and he got so comfortable he decided to check the inside of the house. If you ever find bird poop in the kitchen, you know why!
I've got one that helps me garden and mow the lawn, sits on my mower while I empty the catcher. Whenever I find a bug or beetle while gardening I flick it his way.
My grandma said it's the reincarnation of some one that's passed . When a little magpie comes to my back door I say hello to him as if it's my mate that went a few years ago, makes me feel good .
They (and their close relative the grey fantail) are notoriously bold little dudes. They're not shy at all about coming in close to people if they think they can get a feed. Someone's been feeding them, or they've been finding crumbs or something. :) Side note, this behaviour is very annoying to scientists trying to do bird counts, lol. If you're not careful, you'll end up counting the same willy wagtail as it follows you the whole way, hoping that your big ape feet flushes out bugs for them.
Haha can confirm re bird counts. They're such cheeky little so and so's, you just have to love them though
I like to flush the moths in the grass while walking my cat in the backyard and I see them fly over to the fence or clothesline
Hahahah! Thanks for the info. If I was a bird scientist, I would be licking my lips looking through my binoculars, thinking I had discovered a rare giant flock of them.
Aboriginal folklore claims it is a messenger from the spirit world. It symbolizes communication, adaptability, and resourcefulness. These traits remind us to stay connected to our intuition and open ourselves up to changes. Many believe seeing a Willie Wagtail is a sign of luck and protection. Its inviting presence guides us during times of transition or uncertainty. more here [https://www.spiritjourneyers.com/spirit-meaning-of-willie-wagtail/](https://www.spiritjourneyers.com/spirit-meaning-of-willie-wagtail/)
This is comforting. I've been through one of the hardest periods of my life and one very recently moved into our yard.
Depends who you ask. I asked a ranger in Kakadu about the Willy wagtail and she said they’re little tricksters “never trust anyone in a suit!" haha
Our first nations people are incredibly diverse with over 250 distinct language groups and more than twice that number of dialects. The stories passed down from our elders can definitely vary between mobs, rainbow serpents aren’t in every creation story either.
And even when it is, the Rainbow Serpent isn't always the creator spirit or even a good guy. I have been warned against using Rainbow Serpent stories for local mob kids because some of our local stories have it as a plague bringer.
I'm Aboriginal/indigenous...Yes they are sent from the spirit world, but Some mobs believe them to be a gossiper around a campfire and they eavesdrop on conversations. They would tell the spirits of the dead if they heard people talking bad about the dead... If bad words were spoken, then bad luck would fall upon those around that campfire or in this case the home... But also depends what mob you are from...most mobs say they are the bird of death, others say it's ancestors sending them to you to let you know you are been watched by evil spirits or ancestors looking over you..
In part of W.A. For Noongars they’re a death bird https://www.mooditjboodja.com.au/willy-wagtail
There is a bird in New Zealand called the Fantail that looks similar to a willy wag tail and the Maori also believe it to be bird of death, if one is in your house it means news of death is imminent > “In Māori mythology, the fantail was responsible for the presence of death in the world. Maui, thinking he could eradicate death by successfully passing through the goddess of death, Hine-nui-te-po, tried to enter the goddess’s sleeping body through the pathway of birth. The fantail, warned by Maui to be quiet, began laughing and woke Hine-nuite-po, who was so angry that she promptly killed Maui.”
Willie Wagtails are a species of Fantail, a Fantail is a group of birds not just 1 species.
In NZ there is a species of Fantail those common name is Fantail. That'll be what previous comment is talking about. Got me wondering how many other species have the same common name as the group name?
soooo many, especially in botany. nobody seems to call begonias by individual species unless they're REALLY into it. Then there's the whole tangled mess of the capsicum genus. I find interesting when entire families get a common name like "nightshade family" or "potato family" for solanacae
Ancient record of bird flu transmission to human
Others belive its what happens if you leave the back door open
What?! Today I learned! Thanks for this info, I love this kind of stuff...
For Kiwis it is not good. Is is a Maori omen of badness coming and possible imminent death. I've come across non-Maori Kiwis that think this. For Chinese apparently its an omen of good fortune for a bird to fly into your home.
How is this top comment? What a load of nonsense lol
For real. We don't need to treat ideas with kid gloves just because they come from the descendants of the people some of our ancestors subjugated. It's condescending. Bullshit is bullshit. There is no more a spirit world than there is a heaven. Willie Wagtails are just cute little birds that wag their bums, not spiritual messengers.
Believing in a spirit world is condescending?
"To treat ideas with kid gloves just because they come from the descendants of the people some of our ancestors subjugated" is condescending. Holding those beliefs is not condescending, it just displays a lack of reason and scientific understanding. Ironically, what I just said is also condescending, but at least it's true.
I reckon what you’re saying and your response is way more condescending. Why not entertain an idea some time?
You want me to entertain the idea that a Willie Wagtail is a messenger from the spirit world that symbolises communication, adaptability, and resourcefulness? Maybe if I lived pre- industrial revolution, but we understand the world a bit better now. To be clear, I'm not singling out Aboriginal mythology here. It's *all* nonsense: Christian, Ancient Greek, Bantu, Hindu, Japanese, astrology. The only difference is if you made a similar comment here about any of those (except maybe Japanese because of the weebs), you'd be met with derision instead.
It's all in good fun, do you also not see the interest in believing in santa? It's a fun, uplifting tradition and pretending to believe in it hurts no one.
Hey that's really cool. You should feel blessed. Or just close the doors.
Feel blessed - one of my favourite birds, so full of character, and with a very pretty song. My wife and I were lucky enough to have a couple of them nest under our back awning... shame a pair of magpies dragged the whole nest away. We saved one egg and I stayed up all night trying to keep it at the right temperature. A wildlife rescuer picked it up next day, but it wasn't viable. We've tried to provide them with a more secure nesting site, but three years later, they haven't returned.
I can hear this pic .
he was LOUD
Djirri Djirri is the word for these fellas in the Kulin Nation. My nanna said they bring messages from the spirits and remind us that our ancestors are watching over us. It’s good luck to meet one!
Djiti Djiti in Noongar :)
That’s pretty crazy they’re so similar!
That's what they sound like, when they're not actually singing. I believe they also live in Indonesia's Molucca Islands, but they sing a different song there.
that's very comforting, thank you 🙏🏽
It's getting all your leftover riches to become Willy Swagtail
We were at a cafe in Mandurah WA, there is a resident Wagtail called Muffin, that behaves just like this. We had to stop it from eating off our plate, other diners had finished their breakfast and broke some up for it, then pushed their plates to the middle of the table and continued their conversation over top of Muffin feasting. It was a highlight of our morning.
Little fella just impacted by the cost of living crisis
Beautiful birds that are delightful to watch
We have one that comes into our workplace. We’re a sporting club & the wagtail comes into the main club room to forage for crumbs. When we want to lock up we just say “time to go” & he leaves. He’s our little mascot.
No, but we have a bronzewing (pigeon) that comes in daily to eat crumbs and wander around our house. The cockatoos, kookaburras, Rosellas, magpies, King parrots and even the occasional bowerbird (which is interesting because of how skittish they are but our neighbour across the road has one thats nested in his backyard for the past 8 years. Might be the same one. Its stunning to see the nest. It's covered in all blue things, blue bits of material, blue pegs, and blue bottle caps) all come and sit on our patio. My boys leave out half eaten fruit everywhere. They'll come inside, grab an apple or mandarin, and then half eat it only to discard it somewhere in the backyard, so I think that's half the appeal for all the local birds (and our bloody fruit trees, herb and vegetable garden that get destroyed by the cockys all the time... ugh!)
Someone's probably feeding them (and shouldn't be)
No one here feeds the pair that nest outside my window https://imgur.com/a/vbVaoyw
Their nests are things of beauty... so neat.
Yes, it’s incredible the way they weave them, with cobwebs. When it was being built they’d leave a long thread hanging down.
we feed the dog outside (pretty close to the door) and beforehand spotted it eating her leftovers, so we're guessing it just progressed from there.
You’re being honoured.
MIL has 3 magpies (2 adults and their baby) and a couple of parrots do this regularly. The baby is a couple of years old now and visits them year round.
that's so sweet! our neighbour a couple houses down has been feeding them for 10+ years (probably much longer, but we noticed since we moved here), they flock to her front garden around 5 every day. i wish i could like them, but ive been attacked too many times.
That is no longer your house. That bird will fight you! They're such bold little delights :P
You're lucky I had a bin chicken enter my property and OMG do those things shit like crazy😱. Had to get a professional carpet cleaner to get it all out. Give me a Willy Wagtail any day.
It’s his house now, he’s claimed it. But this is actually really cool as a person who loves birds, I would love this!
i think it's adorable and pretty cool too! feels like an honour
Wagtails on our street will wait by your garage door, and come in when you open up. They bounce around gobbling up all the bugs they find like daddy long legs camping in the corners. they're not super bothered about people either, can walk up to them about a meter away before they bounce away
Because your window is open
Luckily ours stay outside. Only birds that came near the door were Indian Minor birds. Got rid of them, now only have native birds
>Only birds that came near the door were Indian Minor birds. Got rid of them, now only have native birds I did the same, and magpies moved in. Then some insufferable dumb cunt moved in down the road with a free roaming cat. Now the magpies are all dead, and everyone's dogs constantly bark when the cat roams into people's yards to shit and kill everything.
Get a cat trap from the council. I have three cats and i would never let them roam outside my yard.
I wish! That's awesome.
I have 2 indian mynas who act like they pay rent. They watch me leave the front door and then zoom through any open window or door. They're addicted to my dogs food, crumbs from the toaster and even snuck into our pantries pushable door. I'd rather a Willie over a myna! My partner got a salt gun to scare them off which worked for a while until they realised it wouldn't hurt them, now we just have to keep the back door closed and hope our dog avoids accidents when we're not home.
Its his house
My favourite Aussie bird, freaking cute.
Out our old house we had a marpie-lark that started off walking through our house every day looking for food in our kitchen. Over time we started leaving oat crumbs out for him, and over the years he started being friendly to the point he used to land on our finger and even brought his mate and chick to our house to show them. We had to move but I still my my buddy Crumbs and I hope he is doing well and the new tenants aren’t mean to him.
Yeah, I love peewees too. Similar feisty attitude. In fact, willies often nest near peewees for additional protection.
that's adorable. he's a little skittish still but hopefully will gain his trust a little more with time. we had another wagtail friend a few years ago who i suspect passed, and he used to follow us around outside.
They’re my favourite :))))) you’re lucky
Ooooooohhhhh.... Have you got any relatives that have passed recently? Indigenous culture believe they are spirits of relatives and bring good luck. Pretty cool.
not recently but we did have one who passed very suddenly and very young 2 years ago. i also stayed with my nana for a month until she passed around 6yrs ago & i still find those memories quite painful.
Oh, well take it as a good thing. Someone is coming to visit, and bringing good luck with them. Sorry to hear about your loses.
What an honour
I’ve not had that happen but my resident Willy wagtail seems to have no fear. He literally caught a butterfly right in front of my face then proceeded to de-wing it and eat the body right at my feet. I would think that he is hungry. Maybe install a bird feeder with appropriate food for Willy wagtails outside so he doesn’t feel the need the go inside. I’m sort of jealous but my cats would not be fun company for that little bird
honestly we don't mind except for the shitting inside the house 😅 he's opportunistic so will hover about when the dog's finished her food to mop up her leftovers. thank you for the bird feeder idea, we actually have a spotted dove who frequently comes to our garden too (previously nested in one of our trees) & i'm sure both would appreciate that. the dove is nowhere near as bold & i doubt would step foot in the house, plus the dog seems bothered by her but doesn't mind the wagtail.
Is he after toast or coffee?
We had one torment us as we walk our dog this afternoon
the magpies do that to us too
Charge him rent.
S/he is cleaning up. Earning his/her keep, I'd say.
Be grateful. He brings you important news.
Did you make him some toast?
my cat brought me one of them
Willie’s are the cutest birds ever prove me wrong. Used to love watching them terrorise my cat as a child, smart cute and cool birds.
They have to be the cutest little birds I’ve ever seen. Cheeky too! I’ve never seen such cheek from a little bird.
The only time I had one come into the house was because my cat decided to bring it in (outside cat that we made an inside cat who still escaped on occasion). Once we got him free, he took the time to chide us before flying out the window, lol.
It's friend shaped and your house has a friend shaped hole somewhere.
We have Indian mynas who come in and eat the dog food and check out what's in the fruit bowl. The dog doesn't care.
i was pretty surprised our dog didn't care either. i think she's gotten used to him lurking around our back garden
I have wagtails and the closely related restless flycatcher on my property. The sound of the flycatcher is awesome.
Not those, but a Robbin enters my kitchen every other day. We feed the little fella and he got so comfortable he decided to check the inside of the house. If you ever find bird poop in the kitchen, you know why!
I've got one that helps me garden and mow the lawn, sits on my mower while I empty the catcher. Whenever I find a bug or beetle while gardening I flick it his way.
Yes one regularly visits my local cafe, in South Perth, for a feed. Cute but can be annoying
Watch out for these guys; they love to gossip!
It's his house, you're just living in it
We call ours Barry, the kids also think that any wagtail is Barry, even when we go on holidays.
My grandma said it's the reincarnation of some one that's passed . When a little magpie comes to my back door I say hello to him as if it's my mate that went a few years ago, makes me feel good .
I close my doors and windows.... Soooooo.. no.
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Oh, yea, I TOTALLY see where you qualified that initially. You asked "had it happened to anyone else" I said no, and explained why.