Very little is known about the Wattlebird from the original seven novels. It is mentioned only once, when Professor Grubbly-Plank refers to them as “fascinating creatures.” The Ministry of Magic clearly monitors the species, as Professor Grubbly-Plank receives an official report on them during a Care of Magical Creatures lesson. The video game Hogwarts Mystery provides a more detailed description. In this source, the Wattlebird is a magical bird native to Australia and New Zealand. Its most prominent feature is the set of colorful wattles on its throat, which visibly change color to reflect the creature's emotional state. The bird's primary magical characteristic is its enchanting song; while beautiful, prolonged exposure can lead to confusion and memory loss in the listener.
The Wattlebird's only appearance in the primary canon is a brief mention in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. During a fifth-year Care of Magical Creatures class, Hermione Granger attempts to question Professor Grubbly-Plank about the absence of Rubeus Hagrid. Professor Grubbly-Plank, who is substituting for Hagrid, dismisses her by stating she needs to review a just-arrived Ministry of Magic report on the Wattlebird. This interaction serves primarily to highlight the mystery of Hagrid's whereabouts and the tight control the Ministry is beginning to exert over Hogwarts.
The name is taken directly from the real-world wattlebird, a family of passerine birds native to Australia and New Zealand. These birds are characterized by the fleshy, often colorful, wattles that hang from their faces or throats, a feature that was incorporated into the magical creature's design in supplementary materials.