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Rufous Fantail

(Rhipidura rufifrons)
Size: 15-16 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

Rufous Fantails are breeding migrants to Australia from the north. There are at least two races, "rufifrons" and "intermedia", which are found along the east coast of Australia. It is currently under debate whether "Rhipidura dryas", the Arafura Fantail, is a race or a separate species. Nominate race "rufifrons" populates the south-east coast and the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range, from near the VIC/SA border in the south to the Clarence River valley in far-northern NSW. To the north of the Clarence River, all the way up to the eastern half of Cape York peninsula, QLD, race "intermedia" is found. From the western side of Cape York peninsula, all across the northern coastal fringe, including almost all of the top end of the NT, and up to the north coast of WA up to Eighty Mile Beach.

Rufous Fantails can be found primarily in rainforest or wet gullies in dense forest.

Sightings

Rufous Fantails are very rare in the area where we live, near Narrabri, NSW. So far we have not seen one in this area yet. They tend to stay in dense underbrush or rainforest and are very active (even more so than their grey cousins), which makes it hard to take photos of them.

Regularly spotted by us in Dorrigo National Park, north-west NSW, on the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range. Later also observed in Washpool National Park, north-west NSW.

Also seen and photographed by C. Kellenberg at Gibraltar Range National Park, NSW, in January 2009.

Photos

Lateral view of a Rufous Fantail

Here the bird is seen fanning not only its tail, but also its wings

Lateral view of a Rufous Fantail; photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Dispersive/migratory Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Food

Like all other members of the Rhipidura family known to us, Rufous Fantails are insect hunters.