Bird
South Island Fantail
Rhipidura fuliginosa fuliginosaAlso known as Pīwakawaka, Black Fantail, Pied Fantail
South Island fantails dart erratically through forest understories, fanning their broad tails to flush hidden insects from dense foliage. These curious songbirds frequently flutter within inches of walkers to snatch midges disturbed by footsteps. While most exhibit a striking pied plumage with a dark chest band, a melanistic black morph occurs in about five percent of the South Island population.
InsectivoreForest BirdAgile
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyFlies, Moths, Beetles
Predators
- Stoat
- Ship rat
- Feral cat
ThreatsIntroduced mammalian predators including stoats, rats, and cats
HabitatsNative forests, scrubland, gardens, plantations
Life span3–5 years
Classification
- FamilyRhipiduridae
- SpeciesRhipidura fuliginosa fuliginosa
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Remain Still: Stand quiet on forest tracks to allow curious birds to hunt insects near your feet.
- Listen for Calls: Locate individuals by listening for high-pitched chattering squeaks in dense scrub.
Frequent Companion (c) BIHNZ, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by BIHNZ · cc-by
Ecological Neighbor (c) Stewart Armstrong, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Stewart Armstrong · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Chris Lindorff, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Lip Kee, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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