New Zealand Fantail
Rhipidura fuliginosa
Silhouette: Felix Vaux · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyRhipiduridae (Fantails)
- GenusRhipidura (Fantails)
- SpeciesRhipidura fuliginosa (New Zealand Fantail)
About the New Zealand Fantail
The New Zealand fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) is a small insectivorous bird, the only species of fantail in New Zealand. It has four subspecies: R. f. fuliginosa in the South Island, R. f. placabilis in the North Island, R. f. penita in the Chatham Islands, and the now-extinct R. f. cervina formerly on Lord Howe Island. It is also known by its Māori names, pīwakawaka, tīwakawaka or piwaiwaka, and the Chatham Island subspecies by the Moriori name tchitake; the common pied morph is also known as pied fantail (not to be confused with the Malaysian or Philippine pied fantails), and the uncommon dark morph is also known as black fantail (not to be confused with the black fantail of New Guinea). The species has been considered by many to be conspecific (the same) as the grey fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa) of Australia and New Caledonia; however, due to significant differences in its calls, many authorities now treat it as a separate species.
The New Zealand fantail was formally described and illustrated in 1787 by the Swedish naturalist Anders Sparrman. He placed it with the flycatchers in the genus Muscicapa and coined the binomial name Muscicapa fuliginosa. The specific epithet... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of New Zealand Fantail in Fiordland National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Fiordland National Park
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Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
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Gerygone igata
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Turdus philomelos
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tongariro National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Arthur's Pass National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 5 | Aoraki Mount Cook National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 6 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 7 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a New Zealand Fantail in Fiordland National Park?
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a New Zealand Fantail sighting in Fiordland National Park, based on 2,373 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see New Zealand Fantail in Fiordland National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for New Zealand Fantail in Fiordland National Park in our monthly data.