Australia
SpeciesField NotesLog inDownload

Field notes

Stay in the loop

Get updates, new features, and Australian birding news.

By subscribing, I agree to receive BirdUp Australia updates, new features, and Australian birding news.

Australia
Download for iOSDownload for AndroidSpeciesField NotesRSSNewsletterBrandPrivacyTerms

BirdUp Australia Pty Ltd © 2026. Made in Australia for Australian birders.

  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Petroicidae
  4. ›
  5. Microeca
  6. ›
  7. Jacky Winter
Jacky Winter
Photo · (c) Max Campbell, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Jacky Winter

Microeca fascinans(Latham, 1801)

Updated 11 June 2026

Origin: Native
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Petroicidae
Genus
Microeca

At a glance

The Jacky Winter is a tiny bird, about 12–15 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
12–15 cm
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Jacky Winter look like?

The Jacky Winter is a tiny bird, about 12–15 cm long and weighing 7–20 g.

The jacky winter is a small grey-brown robin found commonly throughout Australia and also in Papua New Guinea. The jacky winter acquired its name due to rapid and strong vocalisations, which sound like jacky-jacky winter-winter. Their call is also often referred to as sounding like peter-peter-peter. Its habitats include open woodlands and farmlands.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
12–15 cm
Weight
6.8–20 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Jacky Winter?

The Jacky Winter is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

Call

jimchurches · Lithgow, AU-NS, AU

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Jacky Winter eat?

The Jacky Winter feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

The BirdUp app

Log your next Jacky Winter in the field

A pocket field journal for 850+ Australian birds. Offline-first, smart ID, and a lifelist that travels with you.

Get the appRead field notes
Spotted something wrong on this page? Report incorrect info

02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Jacky Winter live in Australia?

The Jacky Winter is native to Australia, recorded across 81 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingSouth-east New Guinea and Australia (except Tasmania)

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Breeding

8 regions recorded