Rhipidura superflua
The Tawny-backed Fantail (Rhipidura superflua) is a charming and active passerine, endemic to the montane forests of Seram Island in Indonesia. Measuring approximately 13-14 cm (5.1-5.5 inches) in length, it is characterized by its distinctive rufous-brown (tawny) back and wings, which starkly contrast with its dark sooty-brown head and tail. Key field marks include a conspicuous pale supercilium above a dark eye-stripe, and whitish underparts often with a faint buff wash. Its long, rounded t...
This species exclusively inhabits montane tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, typically found at elevations between 800 and 3000 meters above sea level on Seram Island.
Its diet primarily consists of small invertebrates, including insects and spiders, which it captures through agile aerial pursuits and gleaning from vegetation.
The Tawny-backed Fantail is a highly active and diurnal bird, constantly flitting through the understory and mid-story vegetation. It employs an acrobatic foraging strategy, primarily flycatching insects mid-air, but also gleaning them from foliage and bark with a quick, darting movement. Its cha...
The Tawny-backed Fantail is an endemic resident of Seram Island, one of the larger islands in the Maluku archipelago of eastern Indonesia. Its distribution is strictly limited to the montane forests of this island, typically found at elevations ranging from approximately 800 meters up to the isla...
Least Concern
- The Tawny-backed Fantail is a true island specialist, found exclusively on Seram Island in Indonesia. - Its name comes from its striking rufous-brown back, a distinguishing feature among fantails. - Like most fantails, it constantly fans its tail, a behavior used to flush out insects from dense...