Explore Taxonomy
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Rhipiduridae
Genus
Rhipidura
Surprise Me
Previous Kadavu Fantail
Next Gray Fantail
- Samoan Fantail
© Lars Petersson | My World of Bird Photography
- Samoan Fantail
- Samoan Fantail
+3
- Samoan Fantail
- Samoan Fantail
- Samoan Fantail
- Samoan Fantail
Watch
- Samoan Fantail
Listen

Samoan Fantail Rhipidura nebulosa Scientific name definitions

Walter Boles
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2006

Sign in to see your badges

Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

13–15·5 cm; 4·5–7 g. Plumage is entirely sooty grey, except for white spot at rear of ear-coverts, pale buff belly, white undertail-coverts; narrow whitish tips to some rectrices, outermost pair with narrow margin on outer web; iris dark brown; upper mandible black, lower mandible horn; legs black. Sexes alike. Immature is grey-brown, face marking obscure. Race altera is somewhat lighter than nominate, white markings on face more pronounced; some individuals with white throat; buff of belly more extensive, white margins of rectrices shorter but broader.

Systematics History

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Validity of race altera questionable. Two subspecies tentatively recognized.

Subspecies

SUBSPECIES

Rhipidura nebulosa nebulosa Scientific name definitions

Rhipidura nebulosa nebulosa
R. n. nebulosa

Distribution

Upolu, in Samoa.
SUBSPECIES

Rhipidura nebulosa altera Scientific name definitions

Rhipidura nebulosa altera
R. n. altera

Distribution

Savaii, in Samoa.

Distribution

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Habitat

On Upolu, primary and secondary rainforest, dense underbrush in forests and thicker vegetation along edges of fields, extending to plantations, gardens and pastures, from coastal regions to c. 900 m; about equally common in lowland forest, foothill forest and montane (low and tall) forest. On Savai’i, mainly restricted to primary forest, from 300 m upwards, mostly above 600m.

Movement

Resident.

Diet and Foraging

Insects, almost exclusively flying ones, and some spiders. Forages in lower and middle storeys. Captures prey by flycatching from perch, or flushes items by shaking tail; occasionally gleans.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song a series of descending notes, given frequently; territorial song initially increases in pitch and then descends in more rapid series; variations given. Contact call a quiet twitter; other calls include a 6-syllable phrase; also imitates other birds, e.g. Pacific Robin (Petroica multicolor) and Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus).

Breeding

Season apparently in drier months; nestlings found in Jun–Jul, and dependent young being fed in Apr. Territorial; in display, fluffs plumage, lowers head and wings, spreads tail. Nest a typical fantail construction of vegetable fibres with hanging “tail”, placed 1–1·5 m above ground. Eggs 16·5–17 × 13–13·2mm. No other information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Samoan Islands EBA. Common and widespread on Upolu; uncommon and more restricted in distribution on Savai’i.
Distribution of the Samoan Fantail - Range Map
Enlarge
  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Samoan Fantail

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Boles, W. (2020). Samoan Fantail (Rhipidura nebulosa), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.samfan1.01
Birds of the World

Partnerships

A global alliance of nature organizations working to document the natural history of all bird species at an unprecedented scale.

American Ornithological Society American Ornithilogical Society Armonia Bolivia Aves Argentinas Avibase Aves Uruguay Birds Caribbean Bird Count India Conservación de Islas Corbidi Fundación Ñankulafkén Instituto Humboldt Lynx Edicions Oikonos Oriental Bird Club Ornithological Society Of The Middle East The Caucasus And Central Asia RED DE OBSERVADORES DE AVES Y VIDA SILVESTRE DE CHILE Roberts Birds Save Brasil Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute Union Venezolana De Ornitologos