Lalage tricolor
The White-winged Triller is a captivating medium-sized passerine, typically measuring 16-18 cm (6.3-7.1 in) in length and weighing 20-30g. Adult males are strikingly dichromatic, displaying glossy black upperparts, head, and tail, sharply contrasted by brilliant white underparts and distinctive white panels on the wings, which give the species its common name. Females and immatures present a more subdued appearance, with brownish-grey upperparts, whitish underparts often with faint barring on...
Occupies a wide array of open or semi-open wooded environments, including eucalypt woodlands, mallee, acacia scrub, and riparian zones, predominantly in drier, inland regions of Australia.
Primarily insectivorous, consuming a diverse array of insects such as beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and ants; occasionally supplements its diet with small fruits or seeds, predominantly foraging in the canopy and mid-story.
Diurnal in activity, the White-winged Triller is an active forager and singer throughout the day, roosting quietly in dense foliage at night. It predominantly forages for insects and larvae, gleaning them from foliage, bark, and branches, often performing agile aerial sallies to catch flying prey...
The White-winged Triller is an endemic species to mainland Australia, with its distribution spanning widely across the continent, though absent from Tasmania and dense coastal rainforests. Its primary breeding range encompasses southern and eastern Australia, extending from central Queensland sou...
Least Concern
- The White-winged Triller's scientific name *Lalage tricolor* literally translates to 'trilling songstress of three colors' (black, white, and grey/brown), referencing its striking plumage and vocal prowess. - Males perform spectacular aerial courtship displays, ascending steeply with rapidly be...