Kwikstertjie (Cape Wagtail)

Another jolly little bird which frequents our garden and often adorns the pergola outside my room is the Cape Wagtail — it visited again this morning.

The Cape Wagtail’s tail bounces rhythmically up and down when the bird is at rest and is at rest when the bird starts moving. In Afrikaans (the local language) it is known as “Kwikstertjie” (“verkwik” means “to refresh or quicken”, and “stertjie” means “little tail”). My mother delighted me with a little Afrikaans riddle: “As hy gaan, dan staan hy. As hy staan, dan gaan hy. Wie is hy?”¹ — to which the answer is: “Kwikkie!” (nickname for the bird).

The bird has a pleasant tsee-chee-chee call and a trilled whistled song² as a variation on the theme. I find it very refreshing indeed.


¹ “When it moves it’s not moving. When it’s not moving, it moves. Who is it?”
² Answers.com

Image from outdoorphoto.co.za