Black Fantail
Rhipidura atra
Black Fantail (Rhipidura atra) — 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 Black Fantail (Rhipidura atra) is a member of the Rhipiduridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 12.2 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 atra
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Rhipiduridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black 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 Black Fantail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black Fantail (Rhipidura atra) is a member of the Rhipiduridae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU montane New Guinea.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.2 g, with a wing length of about 7.9 cm and a tail of around 8.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 179,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Fantail?
The Black Fantail is a very small bird that weighs around 12.2 g.
Where does the Black Fantail live?
The Black Fantail is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU montane New Guinea, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black Fantail belong to?
The Black Fantail (Rhipidura atra) belongs to the Rhipiduridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black Fantail eat?
The Black Fantail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black Fantail migrate?
The Black Fantail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black 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 Black Fantail make?
1 real field recording of the Black 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 Black Fantail's range?
The Black Fantail has a mapped global range of about 179,000 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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