Photo: Daniel Levitis / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Drongo Fantail
Chaetorhynchus papuensis
Drongo Fantail (Chaetorhynchus papuensis) — 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 Drongo Fantail (Chaetorhynchus papuensis) is a member of the Rhipiduridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 37.2 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 Chaetorhynchus
- Species papuensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 37.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Rhipiduridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Drongo 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 Drongo Fantail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Drongo Fantail (Chaetorhynchus papuensis) is a member of the Rhipiduridae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU montane New Guinea.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 37.2 g, with a wing length of about 10.9 cm and a tail of around 9.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 306,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Drongo Fantail?
The Drongo Fantail is a small bird that weighs around 37.2 g.
Where does the Drongo Fantail live?
The Drongo Fantail is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU montane New Guinea, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Drongo Fantail belong to?
The Drongo Fantail (Chaetorhynchus papuensis) belongs to the Rhipiduridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Drongo Fantail eat?
The Drongo Fantail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Drongo Fantail migrate?
The Drongo Fantail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Drongo 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 Drongo Fantail make?
1 real field recording of the Drongo 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 Drongo Fantail's range?
The Drongo Fantail has a mapped global range of about 306,000 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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