2022 Bonanza Bird #3

The Grey Fantail Joins Birdorable: Australia's Acrobatic Performer

Birdorable Grey Fantail

The Grey Fantail, a charming and energetic little songbird from Australia and neighboring island nations, is the latest addition to our Birdorable family. These delightful birds are a joy to watch, particularly known for their acrobatic flights and lively tail movements.

As insectivores, Grey Fantails have a unique hunting strategy that involves an intricate dance of tail flashing and quick, agile movements. This not only aids them in catching their prey but also adds a touch of spectacle to their behavior, making them fascinating subjects for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts.

There are several recognized subspecies of the Grey Fantail, each exhibiting slight variations in plumage and native range. These differences often reflect the diverse habitats they occupy, from dense forests to open woodlands across Australia and nearby islands. The Birdorable version of the Grey Fantail is based on the nominate subspecies, Rhipidura albiscapa albiscapa. This particular subspecies, with its distinctive dark tail and buffy underparts, is found breeding on Tasmania and the Bass Strait Islands.

Grey Fantail by Paul Balfe (CC BY 2.0)
Grey Fantail by patrickkavanagh (CC BY 2.0)

Tomorrow we'll add a special species of kingfisher that is currently extinct in the wild. Conservationists are working to bring this island bird back to the wild. Can you guess the species?

Comments

Peter Jones on December 7, 2022 at 8:30 PM wrote:
Is tomorrow's bird, the Guam kingfisher (Todiramphus cinnamominus)?
Spurwing Plover on September 15, 2024 at 2:06 AM wrote:
Have you ever heard of the Willy Wagtail?

Leave a comment

Comments with links or HTML will be deleted. Your comment will be published pending approval.
Your email address will not be published
You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy. By clicking submit below, you consent to allow Birdorable to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.

2015 Bonanza Bird #4: Mandarin Duck

Today our Birdorable Bonanza: 2015 Advent Edition continues with a beautiful species of dabbling duck from eastern Asia: the Mandarin Duck. Male Mandarin Ducks, like our cute Birdorable cartoon version here, are strikingly beautiful, with a unique colorful plumage. The flanks are...

2014 Bonanza Bird #3: Cape Parrot

The third bird in our 2014 Bonanza is a unique species of parrot, the Cape Parrot! The Cape Parrot is endemic to South Africa. It is typically found in high altitude forest habitat, though it may also visit lowland coastal areas for...

Group working to save Macaws in Costa Rica

The ARA Project is a conservation group working to conserve two macaw species in Costa Rica: the Scarlet Macaw and the endangered Great Green Macaw. The group has been successfully breeding macaws for almost 30 years.

Birdorable Bonanza 2024 Starts on Monday

Are you ready? Our 16th annual Birdorable Bonanza will start on Monday, November 18th! We're thrilled to continue our tradition of introducing an array of new birds from around the world during this special event. Over the years, our Birdorable Bonanzas have become a fun and frenzied annual tradition. You can revisit the previous years' celebrations right here: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.