Photo: Hartert, 1899 / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Tawny-backed Fantail
Rhipidura superflua
Tawny-backed Fantail (Rhipidura superflua) — 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 Tawny-backed Fantail (Rhipidura superflua) is a member of the Rhipiduridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 15 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 superflua
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15 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 Tawny-backed 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 Tawny-backed Fantail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Tawny-backed Fantail (Rhipidura superflua) belongs to the Rhipiduridae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU montane Buru (wc Moluccas).
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 15 g, with a wing length of about 6.6 cm and a tail of around 7.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2,602 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Tawny-backed Fantail?
The Tawny-backed Fantail is a very small bird that weighs around 15 g.
Where does the Tawny-backed Fantail live?
The Tawny-backed Fantail is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU montane Buru (wc Moluccas), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Tawny-backed Fantail belong to?
The Tawny-backed Fantail (Rhipidura superflua) belongs to the Rhipiduridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Tawny-backed Fantail eat?
The Tawny-backed Fantail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Tawny-backed Fantail migrate?
The Tawny-backed Fantail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Tawny-backed 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 Tawny-backed Fantail make?
1 real field recording of the Tawny-backed Fantail — 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 Tawny-backed Fantail's range?
The Tawny-backed Fantail has a mapped global range of about 2,602 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 Rhipiduridae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
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.