Photo: William Matthew Hart / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Long-tailed Fantail
Rhipidura opistherythra
Long-tailed Fantail (Rhipidura opistherythra) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Long-tailed Fantail (Rhipidura opistherythra) is a member of the Rhipiduridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 15 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Rhipiduridae Fantails
- Genus Rhipidura
- Species opistherythra
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Rhipiduridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Long-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 Long-tailed Fantail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Long-tailed Fantail (Rhipidura opistherythra) is a member of the Rhipiduridae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Tanimbar Is. (s Moluccas).
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 15 g, with a wing length of about 7.1 cm and a tail of around 9 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3,122 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Long-tailed Fantail?
The Long-tailed Fantail is a very small bird that weighs around 15 g.
Where does the Long-tailed Fantail live?
The Long-tailed Fantail is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Tanimbar Is. (s Moluccas), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Long-tailed Fantail belong to?
The Long-tailed Fantail (Rhipidura opistherythra) belongs to the Rhipiduridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Long-tailed Fantail eat?
The Long-tailed Fantail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Long-tailed Fantail migrate?
The Long-tailed Fantail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Long-tailed Fantail endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Long-tailed Fantail make?
1 real field recording of the Long-tailed Fantail — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Long-tailed Fantail's range?
The Long-tailed Fantail has a mapped global range of about 3,122 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Rhipiduridae
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.