Melanocharis versteri
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker (Melanocharis versteri) is a striking, small passerine endemic to the montane forests of New Guinea, renowned for its distinctive, often-fanned tail. Measuring approximately 14-15 cm in length and weighing between 15-20 grams, this compact bird sports a predominantly dull black or dark grey plumage, frequently with subtle olive or rufous undertones depending on the subspecies and lighting. Its most iconic field mark is its relatively long, graduated tail, which it c...
Found primarily in montane and submontane rainforests, forest edges, and disturbed areas like secondary growth or gardens, typically at elevations between 1,100 to 2,800 meters in New Guinea.
Feeds predominantly on small, fleshy fruits and berries, with a supplementary diet of small insects like spiders and beetles, gleaned from foliage.
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker is an active, diurnal bird, primarily foraging in the mid-canopy and subcanopy layers of its forest habitat. It typically forages alone or in pairs, but is often observed joining mixed-species foraging flocks, particularly those including other berrypeckers or fantails,...
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker is entirely resident throughout the montane regions of New Guinea, encompassing both Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian provinces of West Papua. Its distribution is fragmented across various highland systems, including the Central Highlands, Bismarck Range, Adelbert Mo...
Least Concern
- The Fan-tailed Berrypecker's family, Melanocharitidae, is one of only two bird families truly endemic to the island of New Guinea (the other being the Cnemophilidae, or 'satinbirds'). - Its scientific name, *Melanocharis*, translates from Greek to 'black grace' or 'black charm', a nod to its da...