Fantails at our Grove
The fantail is a small, cheeky, insect eating bird. Showing no particular fear of humans it thinks nothing of showing off its aerobatic skill as it snatches small insects you have disturbed from in front of your face, even if you didn't see them!
Its most commonly used Maori name is piwakawaka, though there are many others in different Maori dialects, tiwakawaka, hiwaiwaka, and tirairaka to name just three. Its scientific name is Rhipidura fuliginosa. British settlers called it the fantail because it has a fan tail, and this is key to its areobatic skills. Since European settlement it has been one of the more successful birds at adapting to the changes man has forced on the landscape, seemingly as at home in the olive grove as in the New Zealand bush.
Their numbers build rapidly in warm weather as they can have several broods in one season (up to 5 recorded), but likewise they sadly decline in cold weather. No bird older than 3 years has been recorded in New Zealand. Few survive more than one year.
They will often accompany us about the grove with their high pitched chirp (try saying "cheat cheat" in a high pitched voice) as we go about a task. It would be nice if this was friendly behaviour, but really it is the insects we stir up, and possibly a little indignation at our intrusion on their territory (they are very territorial birds)!
There are three subspecies of the New Zealand Fantail. The North Island (which is of course the one we see here), The South Island (including Stewart Island), and the Cahtham Island. Most New Zealanders consider the fantail a native species, although different members of the genus can be found through Australia and parts of Asia.
For more information, try downloading the New Zealand Department of Conservation pdf file on the fantail.
The photos below were taken by mlr on our grove during olive picking 2007. Please remember they are protected by copyright.
