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 Rakiura National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Rakiura National Park
Tūī
Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae
New Zealand Bellbird
Anthornis melanura
Grey Warbler
Gerygone igata
South Island Robin
Petroica australis
Mōhua (Yellowhead)
Mohoua ochrocephala
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula
South Island Saddleback
Philesturnus carunculatus
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Miromiro
Petroica macrocephala
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Dunnock
Prunella modularis
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxena
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 Rakiura National Park?
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a New Zealand Fantail sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 1,656 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see New Zealand Fantail in Rakiura National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for New Zealand Fantail in Rakiura National Park in our monthly data.