Fantail
by Amanda Stadther
Title
Fantail
Artist
Amanda Stadther
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
New Zealand Fantail, Hokitika, New Zealand.
In Maori mythology the New Zeland Fantail (piwakawaka) is a messenger, bringing death or news of death from the gods to the people.
During waking hours the bird is almost never still. It flits from perch to perch, sometimes on the ground but mostly on the twigs of a tree or any other convenient object, looking out for flying insects. The birds are not shy, and will often flit within a few feet of people, especially in forested areas and suburban gardens. In doing so, it is able to catch any small flying insects that may have been disturbed by human activities such as walking or digging.
The New Zealand Fantail is a seasonal breeder, nesting from August to March in the North Island, September to January in the South Island and October to January on the Chatham Islands. They usually raise two or more broods per season. The birds form compact, cup-shaped nests, usually in the forks of trees, made from moss, bark and fiber, and often completed with spider's web. Both sexes build the nest. The clutch size is usually three to four cream eggs which are spotted grey and brown. The incubation period is around two weeks, and incubation and feeding duties are shared by both adults. Nest building and incubation of the second brood may occur while the fledged young of the first brood are still being fed. Young males may begin breeding two months after fledging.
The bird's call is an almost metallic "cheek", either as a single sound or (more often) repeated as a chattering.
Uploaded
August 18th, 2013
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Viewed 643 Times - Last Visitor from Ottawa, ON - Canada on 04/24/2024 at 7:27 AM
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