Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-tailed Fantail
Rhipidura phoenicura
Rufous-tailed Fantail (Rhipidura phoenicura) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous-tailed Fantail (Rhipidura phoenicura) is a member of the Rhipiduridae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 15 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Rhipiduridae Fantails
- Genus Rhipidura
- Species phoenicura
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Rhipiduridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-tailed Fantail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Rufous-tailed Fantail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-tailed Fantail (Rhipidura phoenicura) is a member of the Rhipiduridae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR montane Java.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 15 g, with a wing length of about 7.3 cm and a tail of around 8.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 8,270 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-tailed Fantail?
The Rufous-tailed Fantail is a very small bird that weighs around 15 g.
Where does the Rufous-tailed Fantail live?
The Rufous-tailed Fantail is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR montane Java, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Rufous-tailed Fantail belong to?
The Rufous-tailed Fantail (Rhipidura phoenicura) belongs to the Rhipiduridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rufous-tailed Fantail eat?
The Rufous-tailed Fantail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rufous-tailed Fantail migrate?
The Rufous-tailed Fantail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-tailed Fantail endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Rufous-tailed Fantail make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-tailed Fantail — including its subsong — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Rufous-tailed Fantail's range?
The Rufous-tailed Fantail has a mapped global range of about 8,270 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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