This native bird is known for its swooping flight pattern and distinctive 'kissing' bird call.
"Fantails are native but not endemic - which seems to surprise people. They are also found in Australia and some Pacific Islands," says Phil. "They can have a life span of up to ten years whereas in New Zealand they are lucky to survive three years. And I think there is two reasons for this; one, they feed on the wing which takes a lot of energy and, two, the insect population declines in the winter months when they need food the most to counter the wet and cold."
Fantails mainly snack on insects like moths, wasps and and flies but also munch on the occasional bit of fruit. Their tails are used to change direction quickly while in flight which makes them excellent insect-hunters. They have been spotted hopping around upside-down in order to snatch insects hiding on the underside of leaves.
There are around 10 sub-species of the fantail, and sometimes, says Phil, if you look closely you can find a black fantail. Black fantails are more common in the South Island - 1 in 5 fantails are completely black - than the North.
Fantails get their reputation as a 'friendly' forest bird from their feeding behaviour. They will follow human visitors as well as birds like silvereyes and parakeets swooping on the insects that are disturbed by their activities.
Fantails can build up to five nests per year, with two to five eggs at a time.
According to the Department of Conservation website, the fantail plays a role in M?ori mythology and is responsible for the bringing death into the world. "Maui, thinking he could eradicate death by successfully passing through the goddess of death, Hine-nui-te-po, tried to enter the goddess's sleeping body through the pathway of birth. The fantail, warned by Maui to be quiet, began laughing and woke Hine-nui-te-po, who was so angry that she promptly killed Maui."
Source: Department of Conservation and Te Ara Encyclopedia.
