The fantail is a small native forest bird with a small head and bill and a long tail which opens to a fan, thus giving the bird its name.  It has a grey head, white eyebrow and white and black band under the chin on the upper chest.  The back is brown and the underparts are a peachy gold.  The tail is black and white.  The juvenile looks very similar but lacks the upper chest markings and has a browner body and rusty-brown wing coverts.  There is a black phase which is found mainly in the South Island, which is sooty black except for a white spot behind the eye.

Fantails feed mainly on invertebrates taken whilst flying.  Using their fanned tail they are very manoeuverable which helps them quickly change direction whilst flycatching.  They are known to hop around upside down in amongst tree ferns and foliage looking to pick insects from the underside of leaves.  Their main prey are moths, flies, spiders, wasps, and beetles. They seldom feed on the ground.

Although the fantail lifespan is relatively short in New Zealand (oldest recorded 3 yrs but in Australia they have been recorded up to 10 yrs) the breed survives due to the prolific and early breeding.  Juvenile males can start breeding between 2-9 months old and as many as 5 clutches can be laid in one season, with between 2-5 eggs per clutch.  The fantails stay in pairs all year but high mortality means they seldom survive more than a season.  Both adults incubate for about 14 days and the chicks fledge at about 13 days.  Both adults will feed the young but as soon as the female starts building the next nest the male takes over the role of feeding the previous brood.

The main fantail contact call is a penetrating cheet cheet, sounding a bit like a squeaky toy.

Fantails are prolific on Tiritiri Matangi.

Photography by: Max McRae ©

References: Heather, B.D.; Robertson, H.A. 2000 The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand. Auckland, Viking.