Black Thicket Fantail

Overview

The black thicket fantail (Rhipidura maculipectus) is a medium-sized bird in the family Rhipiduridae. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List and is distributed across the Aru Islands and New Guinea.

Identification

• Medium-sized, long-tailed bird measuring 18-19 cm and weighing 18-19 g.
• Blackish plumage with white spots on the chest and wings, a white tip to the tail, a short white stripe above the eye, and a white spot on the side of the neck.
• Dark brown iris and a black beak with a pinkish underside.
• Song consists of a rising, ringing, metallic sound followed by a «wee-chuv!».

Habitat

This species inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and mangrove forests. It is found in the Aru Islands and New Guinea.

Diet

As an entomophage, it catches insects on the fly using horizontal sallies from a low perch. It usually feeds within 1-2 meters from the ground.

Did you know?

Despite being part of a family where many species are strong fliers, black thicket fantails are very weak fliers that need to alight regularly.