Newtonia fanovanae
The Red-tailed Newtonia (Newtonia fanovanae) is a small, enigmatic passerine endemic to the humid evergreen rainforests of eastern Madagascar. Measuring approximately 12-13 cm (about 5 inches) in length and weighing a delicate 10-15 grams, its overall plumage is a rather subdued dark slate-grey on the upperparts, contrasting with paler grey to whitish underparts. However, its most distinctive and striking feature, lending the species its common name, is a vibrant reddish-chestnut tail, which ...
Primarily inhabits humid evergreen rainforests and montane moist forests, typically found at elevations between 800 and 1,800 meters (2,600-5,900 feet) above sea level in eastern Madagascar.
Primarily insectivorous, consuming a wide variety of small insects and spiders gleaned from foliage and bark, or caught in short aerial sallies.
Highly diurnal and perpetually active, the Red-tailed Newtonia spends its days flitting restlessly through the mid-story and undergrowth, roosting solitarily or in pairs within dense foliage at night. It is predominantly insectivorous, employing an active foraging strategy of gleaning insects and...
The Red-tailed Newtonia is strictly endemic to the humid evergreen rainforests of eastern Madagascar. Its restricted breeding range encompasses a narrow, fragmented band of mid-elevation forests, typically found between 800 and 1,800 meters (2,600-5,900 feet) above sea level. Key strongholds for ...
Vulnerable
- Its scientific name 'fanovanae' is believed to refer to the Fandriana-Marolambo forest corridor, a critical habitat area for the species. - The striking reddish-chestnut tail is unique among all other known *Newtonia* species, making it an unmistakable identifier despite its otherwise drab plum...