Grey Fantails are fairly common around my neck of the woods. The problem is that they move so fast, it’s hard to get them in a camera frame. A couple of days ago, one of the little birds kept going back to the same tree to show off its skills. So, with a bit of patience, I was able to get some video footage:

In the video, you can see the bird’s typical behaviour pattern: it makes its way up a tree trunk, waving its tail, then it drops suddenly down to ground level, before starting again. In the background, the orange Banksia flower heads glow in the sunlight.

Here’s a still picture of that fanned tail catching the light:

A couple of slightly-fuzzy images give you a better idea of what the bird looks like:

It’s a small bird (about 15 cm from head to tail). This one is quite dark in colour, with its black head and collar markings below the white throat.

A few weeks ago, I saw another Grey Fantail in a location close to this one. Both birds were on the shores of Manly Dam, about 700 meters apart. This one is quite a lot lighter in colour:

If you’d like to hear what Grey Fantails sound like (squeaky) or see other videos and photos of these birds, check out the list of my fantail blog posts.

Common name: Grey Fantail
Scientific name: Rhipidura fuliginosa
Approximate length: 14-17 cm
Date spotted: 16 June and 10 June, 2023 (winter)
Location: Manly Dam Reserve, New South Wales, Australia: 33°46’52.4″S 151°15’07.2″E and 33°46’37.9″S 151°14’48.5″E