Northern Fantail

1. Broad gray breast-band with white streaks, creating a pattern not seen in other Australian fantails.

2. Larger size and more robust build, with a relatively large head and broad bill.

3. Calm, upright perching behaviour with a closed tail, in contrast to the restless movements of other fantails.

Northern Fantails are specialized insect hunters, catching flying prey with short flights from a fixed perch and returning to the same or a nearby branch. Their flight is more direct and less acrobatic than other fantails. Breeding occurs from May to February, with peak activity in the late dry season. Pairs build cup-shaped nests with a hanging "tail" of plant material, usually on horizontal branches. Females lay 1–3 cream-coloured eggs with yellowish-brown spots. The species relies on intact riparian and monsoon forest habitats, which are threatened by grazing, altered fire regimes, and land clearing.

Northern Fantails inhabit dense, often riparian habitats across northern Australia, from the Kimberley region in Western Australia through the Northern Territory to northern Queensland. They are found in paperbark forests, monsoon forests, vine thickets, dense eucalypt woodlands, and sometimes mangroves. They are most easily observed at dawn and dusk, perched quietly on horizontal branches in the mid-levels of vegetation. During the hottest parts of the day, they retreat to deep shade but may continue to sing from concealed perches. Their metallic "kek" call and descending song can help locate them.

The Northern Fantail’s scientific name, *Rhipidura isura*, refers to its fan-shaped tail and the relatively even length of its tail feathers compared to other fantails.