Photo: Journal für Ornithologie 50, 1902 plate 9, figure 2. / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Mussau Fantail
Rhipidura matthiae
Mussau Fantail (Rhipidura matthiae) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
The Mussau Fantail (Rhipidura matthiae) 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 matthiae
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Rhipiduridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Mussau 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 Mussau Fantail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Mussau Fantail (Rhipidura matthiae) is a member of the Rhipiduridae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Mussau (St. Matthias Is., nc Bismarck Arch.).
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 15 g, with a wing length of about 7 cm and a tail of around 7.3 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 355 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Mussau Fantail?
The Mussau Fantail is a very small bird that weighs around 15 g.
Where does the Mussau Fantail live?
The Mussau Fantail is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Mussau (St. Matthias Is., nc Bismarck Arch.), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Mussau Fantail belong to?
The Mussau Fantail (Rhipidura matthiae) belongs to the Rhipiduridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Mussau Fantail eat?
The Mussau Fantail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Mussau Fantail migrate?
The Mussau Fantail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Mussau 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 Mussau Fantail make?
1 real field recording of the Mussau 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 Mussau Fantail's range?
The Mussau Fantail has a mapped global range of about 355 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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