Photo: Alan Manson / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Fan-tailed Grassbird
Catriscus brevirostris
Fan-tailed Grassbird (Catriscus brevirostris) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Fan-tailed Grassbird (Catriscus brevirostris) is a member of the Locustellidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 15.7 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 Locustellidae Grassbirds & Allies
- Genus Catriscus
- Species brevirostris
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Locustellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Fan-tailed Grassbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Fan-tailed Grassbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Fan-tailed Grassbird (Catriscus brevirostris) belongs to the Locustellidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.7 g, with a wing length of about 5.9 cm and a tail of around 7.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Fan-tailed Grassbird?
The Fan-tailed Grassbird is a small bird that weighs around 15.7 g.
Where does the Fan-tailed Grassbird live?
The Fan-tailed Grassbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Fan-tailed Grassbird belong to?
The Fan-tailed Grassbird (Catriscus brevirostris) belongs to the Locustellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Fan-tailed Grassbird eat?
The Fan-tailed Grassbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Fan-tailed Grassbird migrate?
The Fan-tailed Grassbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Fan-tailed Grassbird 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 Grassbird make?
1 real field recording of the Fan-tailed Grassbird — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
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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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.