Bird guideNorthern Fantail

Small songbird with long tail, slim bill.

⚠️Not listed

At a glance

FamilyFantails
SizeTiny
RarityCommon
HabitatInhabits dense vegetation of paperbark forests, mangroves, and swamps.
Best timeMost reliable in Northern Territory from June to September.

Sounds

Sound sample
0:000:00
Recorded by Peter Ericsson

Range map

Range map

200approx hotspots
25636approx records
3states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence

Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.

Species notes

Overview

Dark gray above, pale below, with a variably dark gray chest band. Often droops tail, showing very long white tips to tail feathers. Gray Fantail has pale wingbars, a narrower thin black breast band, and more prominent eyebrow.

Behavior

Actively pursues insects through dense vegetation, frequently spreading and flicking its long tail while changing perches.

Regional timing

Northern Territory
Peak: June to September15,315 records
Western Australia
Peak: June to August2,840 records
Queensland
Peak: June to November7,344 records
New South Wales
Peak: May2 records
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