Fun Jacky Winter Facts For Kids

Do you want to know about a melodious singer who leaves their audience spellbound? It is not a human but a bird, Jacky winter! This bird sits on trees' branches and utters its 'peter-peter' sound. This singing is essential for the species' survival as they emit these sounds as threat signals and mating calls.

It is a small bird that inhabits the tropical regions of Australia and New Guinea. This grey-brown bird stays on perches not too high from the ground.

Being an insectivore, it dives from the perch to catch insects. The male and female birds cannot be distinguished because of their identical plumage. The population of Jacky winters is declining due to global climate change and human interference in their habitat.

Continue reading to know more fun facts about this wonderful and tranquil species. If you like discovering about birds, take a look at birds of paradise facts and common nighthawk facts.

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Jacky Winter Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a jacky winter?

Jacky winter is a flycatcher bird species. This brown-gray bird belongs to the genus Microeca. It is one of the many songbirds found in Australia.

What class of animal does a jacky winter belong to?

The jacky winter (Microeca fascinans) belongs to the class of Aves (birds).

How many jacky winters are there in the world?

The population size of jacky winters has not been quantified.

We know that the population is declining due to various human and environmental factors. However, this decline is not rapid for the species to reach the 'Vulnerable' category. For these causes, the bird is classified as 'Least Concern'.

Where does a jacky winter live?

Jacky winters can be spotted on low perches in open parks, farmlands, and woodlands. They are also found in cities during winters and gel well with humans. This bird species is native to Australia and New Guinea.

What is a jacky winter's habitat?

The suitable habitat for this species is the tropical regions of Mainland Australia and New Guinea. They thrive in regions with high humidity and precipitation. Precipitation is an essential parameter for their breeding.

Jacky winters are often seen making their nests with strips of bark and grass, secured with spider webs. These nests are built on tree branches not too high from the ground.

Who does jacky winter live with?

Jacky winters, similar to other species of the Petroicidae family, have close-knitted social circles. They mostly stick around as long-term pairs (male and female) or nuclear families. The family members defend their territory to protect young ones.

As they stay near human settlements like parks and farmlands, the birds have a harmonious relationship with humans.

How long does a jacky winter live?

The lifespan of jacky winters can vary, but the maximum longevity recorded is five years three months.

How do they reproduce?

This Australian robin, like other bird species, reproduces sexually. The male birds sing songs to attract females for courtship. Internal fertilization takes place in the mother following a mating session.

After she lays the eggs, the incubation period lasts for 16-18 days. Once the chicks hatch out of the egg, the female is responsible for feeding, brooding, and nest hygiene. On the other hand, the male is responsible for getting food for his family and nest defense.

Jacky winters can breed during any time of the year, provided the area receives good rainfall.

What is their conservation status?

According to the IUCN Red List, the conservation status of jacky winter is 'Least Concern.' However, global climate change can result in the species being extinct. Already, human intervention in their habitats has disrupted breeding rates and migration cycles.

Jacky Winter Fun Facts

What do jacky winters look like?

The jacky winter is a type of robin native to Australia. Its back feathers are grey-brown, and its breast is white.

The otherwise dark grey-brown tail has a white outer tail. This white outer tail feather of a jacky winter can be used to distinguish it from the Kimberley flycatcher, a similar bird. A dark black stripe that outlines the eye looks like an eyeliner.

Jacky winters have three sub-species. The ones found in South Australia are believed to be darker than those in the north.

How cute are they?

Although this bird's feathers are not brightly colored, there are other characteristics that contribute to its cuteness. Its melodious voice can fill the audience's heart with tranquility. The ease with which it coexists with humans makes us appreciate it even more.

How do they communicate?

The primary mode of communication of this species is through singing. Jacky winters sit straight on tree branches uttering their 'peter-peter-peter' call. They also wag their tail in a side-to-side motion to convey information.

Male members of the species sing to attract females.

How big is a jacky winter?

The jacky winter (Microeca fascinans) is relatively small when compared with other birds in the continent. It has a length of 4.7-5.5 in (12-14 cm). An Australian magpie is three times longer than jacky.

How fast can a jacky winter move?

The exact speed of a jacky winter (a type of robin) is unknown, but robins fly at a speed of 30-36 mph (48.3-57.9 kph). While observing a Jacky, one may notice that the movements it carries out are mainly for catching insects.

How much does a jacky winter weigh?

A jacky winter is a small bird that weighs about 0.031-0.039 lb (14-18 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Male and female Jacky winters do not have any specific names. They are known as male jacky winter and female jacky winter, respectively. Also, due to their identical plumage, it isn't easy to differentiate between male and female birds.

What would you call a baby jacky winter?

A baby jacky winter is called a chick. After the chick hatches, the mother nurses her baby until the time it is grown enough to be on its own.

What do they eat?

Jacky winters are insectivores. They dive down from perches to catch flies and small insects and return to their abode.

Are they poisonous?

Very few birds in the world are known to be venomous; they are poisonous if they feed on poisonous plants or animals. However, jacky winters are not considered poisonous because they do not feed on anything poisonous.

Would they make a good pet?

Jacky winters are sociable birds that can take care of their feeding and breeding requirements. They just need an open garden or park, so they can be ideal pets. Apart from this, they can also be a beautiful addition to the owner's music library.

Did you know...

Until 1926, 'jacky winter' was called a 'brown flycatcher.' Although the old name was quite descriptive, the name was changed because of the sound the bird makes sounds like 'jacky-jacky-winter-winter'.

The white tail-feather of a Jacky winter can be used to distinguish it from the Kimberley flycatcher.

Jacky winters look fatter in winter because they inflate their feathers to save themselves from the cold.

Jack winter is also known as 'whitetail,' 'peter-peter' or 'postboy.'

Are they predators?

A jacky winter is a flycatcher, so they can be termed as predators of small insects. They take up the role of predators to fulfill their nutritional requirements.

How high can they fly?

The exact height at which jacky winters fly is unknown, but most birds fly below tree height near the ground during short flights or when they catch insects. They fly higher during migration.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our keel-billed toucan facts and ostrich facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Jacky winter coloring pages.