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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Rhipiduridae
  4. ›
  5. Rhipidura
  6. ›
  7. Australian Rufous Fantail

BirdUp · Species

Australian Rufous Fantail

Rhipidura rufifrons(Latham, 1801)

Updated 11 June 2026

Origin: Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Rhipiduridae
Genus
Rhipidura

At a glance

The Australian Rufous Fantail is a small bird, about 15–19 cm long, endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
15–19 cm
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does an Australian Rufous Fantail look like?

The Australian Rufous Fantail is a small bird, about 15–19 cm long and weighing 7–14 g.

The Australian rufous fantail is a small passerine bird, most commonly known also as the black-breasted rufous-fantail or rufous-fronted fantail, which can be found in Australia.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
15–19 cm
Weight
7.2–14 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see an Australian Rufous Fantail?

The Australian Rufous Fantail is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

Call

jimchurches · Tallong NSW 2579, Australia

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does an Australian Rufous Fantail eat?

The Australian Rufous Fantail feeds on terrestrial invertebrates and intertidal invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or alone.

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Australian Rufous Fantail live in Australia?

The Australian Rufous Fantail is endemic to Australia, recorded across 43 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning east Australia.

BreedingEast Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Non-breeding
  • Breeding

8 regions recorded