Rufous Fantail
A species of Fantails Scientific name : Rhipidura rufifrons Genus : Fantails
Rufous Fantail, A species of Fantails
Botanical name: Rhipidura rufifrons
Genus: Fantails
Photo By http://www.comebirdwatching.blogspot.com/ , used under CC-BY-SA-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
Adults are medium-sized birds, generally ranging from 14.5 cm – 18.5 cm in length, averaging at around 15 cm; their wingspan is between 18 cm – 22.5 cm, averaging at around 21 cm. They weigh roughly 10 grams. The male and female of the species look identical. However, females are generally smaller than the males. The forehead is a richly reddish-brown colour across the eyes. The eyes have a white arc just below them. The top of the head, back of the neck and the upper back, transition from an olive to reddish-brown colour, which then blends into a blackish-brown, long, fan-shaped tail. This blackish-brown tail, contrasts with the base of the tail, which is tipped with a paler colour, often white. It has black ear-coverts (feathers over the ears, just below and behind the eyes). The throat is white (in most subspecies), and there is a black bar across the upper breast. Below this, the lower breast is off-white with black scale-like spots which transitions into an off-white colour towards the centre of the abdomen. The eyes, bill and feet of the bird are all a brown colour. The aforementioned colours do not change during different seasons. However, compared to the adults, the juveniles have generally duller coloured backs and marginally browner tails and underparts. On the other hand, the base of the bill and their legs are a paler brown relative to an adult's. A physical description that may help distinguishing between the different subspecies can be found in the subspecies section of this article. The plumage in the immature birds is similar to those of the adults and in both sexes. Adults moult annually prior to the breeding season, and this basic plumage does not vary. 
Size
18 cm
Feeding Habits
Rufous Fantail predominantly consumes small insects, employing aerial foraging techniques within mixed species flocks. It demonstrates agile flight during almost constant motion, occasionally gleaning from foliage or the ground. Rufous Fantail is adapted for agility, with longer legs than related species, aiding versatile feeding maneuvers.
Habitat
Rufous Fantail primarily inhabit wet, dense forests, including rainforests, monsoon forests, mangroves, riverine vegetation, and eucalypt forests. Occupying the Australo-Papuan region, rufous Fantail are mostly found in the understorey and subcanopy, up to about 6 meters above the ground. Broader geographical habitats range from hill and montane forests to lowland primary forests and secondary growths. Rufous Fantail adapt to various altitudes, from sea level to mountain elevations approaching 1600 meters, depending on the local topography. While some subspecies are restricted to specific habitats, others are more widespread, occasionally appearing in more open or urban areas. The species avoids open grasslands and arid landscapes.
Dite type
Insectivorous
Migration Overview
Some subspecies have slightly differing migration patterns. However, the vast majority exhibit strong migratory behavior – they use the same route year after year and have regular departure and arrival times. They migrate to south-eastern Australia in the spring to breed, beginning in September, peaking in October, and then north in the autumn during March and April. This has been well characterised.
General Info
Behavior
Studies on rufous fantail social behaviour are sparse. Some observers have anecdotally described them as curious and trustful, whilst others depict them as shy creatures. However, there is consensus in that they are almost always portrayed as hyperactive, constantly on the move, fidgeting and waving a fanned-out tail. They are usually observed flitting about in the lower layers of their habitat, in close association with the shade, making short, frequent flights separated by brief moments of perching and sometimes hopping between foliage or onto the ground.
Distribution Area
The rufous fantail can be found in parts of Australia, southeast Asia, and in the Oceanic regions of Micronesia and Melanesia. They are residents of the Lesser Sunda Islands and the Maluku Islands of Indonesia, southern New Guinea and its associated islands, the Solomon Islands, the Marianas and the Carolinian island of Yap. In Australia, they are found in the northern and eastern coastal regions. Certain subspecies tend to be restricted to some ranges. See the subspecies section of this article for more detailed information.
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Photo By http://www.comebirdwatching.blogspot.com/ , used under CC-BY-SA-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Fantails Genus
Fantails Species
Rufous Fantail 
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