Rufous Fantail

Rufous Fantail
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Rhipiduridae
Genus:	Rhipidura
Species:	R. rufifrons
Binomial name
Rhipidura rufifrons (Latham, 1802)

The Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons inhabits the east coast of Australia. The base of its tail is bright orange-red in colour and their wings are greyish brown. They have a black and white breast that grades into a white colour on the chin and throat.

They are found in rainforests, wet forests, swamp woodlands and mangroves in the northern and eastern coastal Australia. Other countries include New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Guam, Sulawesi and eastern Indonesia. They roam frequently on the ground. During migration, the Fantail is seen in other more open habitats.

During migration, the Rufous Fantail moves northward in winter, disappearing from Victoria (Australia) and New South Wales.

The Fantail tends to feed on small insects from the middle to the lower parts of a canopy. They are very active birds and its body parts move frequently while foraging for insects.

On nest, Iluka, NSW.

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Rhipidura rufifrons. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern