Arafura Fantail

1. Long tail with pale tips that is constantly fanned during movement.

2. White throat bordered by a black band with small white speckles.

3. Reddish-brown rump contrasting with grayish-brown upperparts.

Arafura Fantails are insectivores that forage actively by darting, hovering, and performing aerial maneuvers to capture prey from leaves and branches. They often join mixed-species flocks for safety and collective foraging benefits. Breeding observations suggest they construct small cup-shaped nests bound with spider silk in tree forks. While resilient overall, habitat loss from coastal deforestation poses a threat to their populations.

The Arafura Fantail inhabits northern Australia from the Kimberley region to Cape York Peninsula and southern New Guinea. It prefers coastal environments such as mangroves, monsoon forests, and wooded areas near water. These birds are most active in the early morning or late afternoon, often seen flitting through the understory within a few meters of the ground. Their calls include metallic “pink\!” sounds and descending high-pitched squeaks that help locate them in dense vegetation.

Previously grouped with the Rufous Fantail, the Arafura Fantail has been recognized as a distinct species due to differences in plumage and range. Its name derives from the Arafura Sea between northern Australia and New Guinea, highlighting its regional significance.