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Grey Fantail |
Sightings
During the summers of 2003-2006 we occasionally saw Grey Fantails (subspecies "alisteri") 20 km south of Narrabri, New South Wales, hunting insects from perches (e.g. branches of trees facing open terrain). Much more widespread occurrences in early spring of 2006 than in the years before.
Seen and heard many times since in the bushland of Mt. Kaputar National Park, Deriah Forest, and other areas in the foothills of the great dividing range near Narrabri. Reappeared, after a very mild winter, already in early August 2008.
Also sighted on a trip to the east of the dividing range, in the area from Armidale to Dorrigo, New South Wales.
Photos
Grey Fantail (subspecies "alisteri") on a branch of a Cyprus pine tree in Jack's Creek State Forest, 25 km south of Narrabri, New South Wales; note the buff front and the typical white margin of the outer tail feather (click on image for larger version)
View of the underparts of a Grey Fantail; note the prominent whiskers (click on image for larger version)
Frontal view of a Grey Fantail; note the buff breast and underparts (click on image for larger version)
Lateral view of a Grey Fantail (click on image for larger version)
Here a view from behind of the fanned tail giving the bird its name (click on image for full-size display)
Habits
If any bird deserves the description as being hyperactive, this is the one. They hardly sit still long enough for a photo exposure. They live in dense young Cyprus pine growth in the bush; so far we have never seen a Grey Fantail out in open farmland.