Jacky Winter

The Jacky winter (Microeca fascinans) is a modestly adorned grey-brown robin, a familiar sight across the Australian landscape and also present in Papua New Guinea. This small bird, measuring 12 to 14 centimetres in length and weighing between 14 to 18 grams, is named for its distinctive and robust vocalizations.

Identification Tips

Adult Jacky winters exhibit a greyish breast with a white lower half, a greyish-brown head and back, and darker brown wings with white edges. The tail is blackish-brown with conspicuous white outer feathers. The bill is black, and they have a narrow eye-line and a buff alula stripe. Their legs are also black. Subspecies vary slightly in coloration and size, with some appearing darker or more pallid than others.

Habitat

These birds are commonly found in open woodlands and farmlands, where they can be seen perched atop trees and posts, often engaging in preening or sunning behaviours.

Distribution

Three races of the Jacky winter are distributed across Australia, with subspecies found in central and eastern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, southeastern South Australia, South Australia, south Western Australia, northern and western Queensland, Northern Territory, and the Kimberley in Western Australia. Additionally, a subspecies is found in Papua New Guinea.

Behaviour

Jacky winters are early risers, vocalizing before sunrise and typically ceasing by midday, with occasional calls heard again towards sunset. They are known for their perching behaviour, often seen atop trees and posts.

Song & Calls

The Jacky winter's call is a defining characteristic, sounding like "jacky-jacky winter-winter" or "peter-peter-peter." These vocalizations are particularly prominent during the breeding season.

Breeding

Jacky winters are sexually monomorphic, meaning males and females look nearly identical. Males attract females with their song rather than flashy plumage. They build small, open cup-shaped nests made of grass and bark strips bound with spider webs, often in exposed positions. Breeding occurs mostly to the west of the Great Dividing Range in eucalyptus woodlands. The breeding season spans from September to November, with a peak in male singing leading up to September, a decline as nestlings are born, and a resurgence in late October for a second brood.

Diet and Feeding

The Jacky winter is an insectivore, employing sit-and-search tactics and utilizing two hunting methods: hawking and ground-pouncing. They are active foragers, moving between perches to locate prey.

Conservation status

The Jacky winter is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. However, populations are declining due to habitat loss and fragmentation, with all subspecies across Australia experiencing decreases. Habitat fragmentation and degradation, primarily due to agricultural expansion and livestock grazing, pose significant threats to the Jacky winter. These changes lead to a reduction in ground and shrub vegetation, impacting the availability of prey and nesting resources. Aggressive species like the noisy miner also outcompete them for food and nesting materials. Climate change exacerbates these issues, affecting breeding activity, migration timing, and the availability of food and safe nesting sites.