Rhipidura albolimbata
The White-tailed Fantail, often affectionately known as the "Friendly Fantail" due to its confiding nature, is a small, highly active passerine bird measuring approximately 13-14 cm (5.1-5.5 inches) in length. Its plumage is predominantly dark slate-grey on the upperparts, contrasting sharply with a pure white throat and whitish underparts. A key identification mark is its eponymous tail, which is constantly fanned and flicked, revealing prominent white outer feathers that create a striking w...
This species primarily inhabits tropical and subtropical montane forests, forest edges, and clearings, typically found at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 meters (3,300 to 13,100 feet).
The diet of the White-tailed Fantail consists almost exclusively of small insects, including flies, beetles, moths, and spiders, which it captures primarily through aerial hawking or by gleaning from vegetation.
The White-tailed Fantail is a highly energetic and diurnal bird, rarely sitting still as it constantly fans and wags its tail, a behavior thought to flush out insects. Its foraging strategy is predominantly aerial hawking, where it makes rapid, acrobatic flights to snatch insects mid-air, though ...
The White-tailed Fantail is endemic to the island of New Guinea and a few adjacent islands in the Southwest Pacific. Its breeding and year-round range encompasses the central mountain ranges of both Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian provinces of Papua. Specific populations are also found on nea...
Least Concern
- The White-tailed Fantail's tail-fanning behavior is so constant it's often described as a 'fluttering' motion, possibly designed to startle hidden insects into flight. - Despite its small size, it is incredibly acrobatic, capable of sharp turns and hovering mid-air while foraging. - Its nest is...