Listen to the New Zealand fantail
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the New Zealand fantail
The New Zealand fantail is a bird in the family Rhipiduridae (order Passeriformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”. Adults weigh around 7 g.
What does the New Zealand fantail sound like?
Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round. Listening for both helps with identification.
From Wikipedia
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.
Frequently asked questions
What does a New Zealand fantail sound like?
You can hear 1 recording of the New Zealand fantail on this page. Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round.
Is the New Zealand fantail endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the New Zealand fantail as “least concern”.
What family does the New Zealand fantail belong to?
The New Zealand fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) belongs to the family Rhipiduridae in the order Passeriformes.
Sources & credits
- Rhipidura fuliginosa - juvenile recording from Arthur's Pass National Park by Michal Klajban – CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q913047 – CC0
- Wikipedia: New Zealand fantail – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by John Gerrard Keulemans – Public domain