Day 17 - Project 365 - Pied Fantail

Day 17 of Project 365

Pied Fantail

I went birding today since I didn't get to shoot macro yesterday and i was lucky to shoot a Pied Fantail nesting near the pond area. Pied Fantails are named for their habit of fanning out their beautiful long tails. It has been suggested that by revealing the white tips of the tail, insects are startled into movement.

Pied Fantails eat mainly insects. Unlike their relatives the flycatchers, Fantails forage close to the ground in the dark understorey, perching on a root or low branch, teetering at the ready to launch into flight. They catch their prey on the wing and rarely miss. Their broad bill is ringed with spines (rictal bristles) which may help them catch insects even in the dim light of the understorey. 

They move actively in the undergrowth, lurching from perch to perch; dashing in acrobatic flights. They make short flights from one cover to the next. They are generally quite inquisitive and not shy. They hunt alone or in pairs.

(Source: http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/birds/Rhipidura_javanica.htm)

Photos Below

Pied Fantail

Pied Fantail