Cinnamon-tailed Fantail
Rhipidura fuscorufa
A distinctive songbird with a long tail, often cocked to expose the diagnostic cinnamon sides. Also note the gray back, cinnamon flash in the wing, and buff belly. Juvenile has a buffy eyebrow and spotted back. Inhabits forest, edge, mangroves, and scrub in low-lying areas, often boldly perching in the open. Frequently joins mixed-species flocks. The only gray-backed, long-tailed songbird in its range in the eastern Lesser Sundas. Song is a slow, lazy human-like whistle, “pe-pe-pee-pee-pee,” notably ascending on the last three notes. Also gives a nasal “chup” note.
Identification
The cinnamon-tailed fantail (Rhipidura fuscorufa) is a fantail restricted to the Banda Sea Islands of Indonesia.
Taxonomy
Genus: Rhipidura; Family: Rhipiduridae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Rhipidura fuscorufa
- Authority
- Sclater, PL, 1883
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Rhipiduridae
- Genus
- Rhipidura
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Scaly Weaver
Sporopipes squamifrons
A very small, sandy-colored finch-like weaver with a scaly crown, a pale pink bill, and a black moustache on a white throat that gives it a fierce-looking expression. Small groups are resident and nomadic in grassy arid savanna, where there are trees and scrub nearby in which to build their untidy oval grass nests. The species sometimes gives a soft, reedy “cheet-cheet-cheet” flight call. The Sociable Weaver is much larger than the Scaly Weaver, with a blue-gray bill.
White-tailed Ant-Thrush
Neocossyphus poensis
Dark, plain, long-tailed thrush. The tail is blackish with big white corners, and the wings show rufous patches in flight. Found on or near the ground in humid forest. Generally shy and retiring. Often follows ant swarms. The common vocalizations are a long, high whistle and a short “brttt” trill. Similar to Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, but has a black-and-white rather than reddish tail. Also similar to Finsch’s Flycatcher-Thrush, but has a more horizontal posture, and spends its time near the ground rather than in the mid-story.
Silver-breasted Broadbill
Serilophus lunatus
A small, quiet bird with a distinctly silky, smooth-feathered appearance. Shape and pattern unique and unmistakable; note thick black stripe behind eye, dark wings with a glossy blue panel, and broad-based pale bluish bill. Usually moves around through the middle layers of forest from lowlands up into the mountains. Does not often join mixed-species foraging flocks, instead tending to stick to medium-sized groups of its own species. Sometimes gives a smooth, fluid ‘teelee!’
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