Photo: Finsch, 1876 / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Fan-tailed Berrypecker
Melanocharis versteri
Fan-tailed Berrypecker (Melanocharis versteri) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker (Melanocharis versteri) is a member of the Melanocharitidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 14.7 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 Melanocharitidae Berrypeckers, Longbills
- Genus Melanocharis
- Species versteri
Quick facts
- Weight
- 14.7 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Melanocharitidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker (Melanocharis versteri) belongs to the Melanocharitidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU montane New Guinea.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.7 g, with a wing length of about 6.4 cm and a tail of around 7.2 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 148,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Fan-tailed Berrypecker?
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker is a very small bird that weighs around 14.7 g.
Where does the Fan-tailed Berrypecker live?
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker 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 Fan-tailed Berrypecker belong to?
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker (Melanocharis versteri) belongs to the Melanocharitidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Fan-tailed Berrypecker eat?
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Fan-tailed Berrypecker migrate?
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Fan-tailed Berrypecker 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 Fan-tailed Berrypecker make?
1 real field recording of the Fan-tailed Berrypecker — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Fan-tailed Berrypecker's range?
The Fan-tailed Berrypecker has a mapped global range of about 148,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Melanocharitidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
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.