Grey Fantail

Rhipidura albiscapa

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesWoodlandCup nestTiny · 9 g

ID tip

This species is mid-to-dark grey or grey-brown above, lighter (often yellowish/orange) below, with a white throat, white markings over the eye, and with (depending on the race) either white-edged or entirely white outer tail feathers. It grows to 16 cm (6.3 in) in length, of which half is the tail, which, as the name implies, is often displayed fanned out. This reveals that the outer tail feathers are light and the centre ones are dark. Some races, such as keasti, have a darker plumage.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Grey Fantail

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Grey Fantail

Regular range

The map shades 4 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

About the Grey Fantail

The grey fantail is a small insectivorous bird. There is no sexual dimorphism. It is a common fantail found in Australia, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. The species is considered by many to be conspecific with the New Zealand fantail ; however, differences in its calls lead some authorities to treat it as a separate species. The studies of grey fantail in 1999 by Richard Schodde and Ian Mason recommended that Tasmanian grey fantail was formally classified as R. albiscapa and New Zealand fantails populations as R. fuliginosa

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side: Grey Fantail vs Willie Wagtail · Grey Fantail vs New Zealand Fantail

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