On any given walk through New Zealand forest, whether it’s native brush, pine, or sub-tropical, you will probably see these birds.
They are small birds about the size of a sparrow, and they are in near-constant movement, flitting about like butterflies. Their most striking feature is their tails, which they spread out like small fans when they land, probably for balance or for show.
It seems when we humans walk on a path, we stir up small insects that these birds like to eat. The result is the charming sight of these beautiful little birds flitting about as you walk and making their little fans as they land on nearby branches.
Watching them is wonderful, but trying to get a good snapshot is maddening. It took us two seasons and many blurry pictures to finally catch one with its tail fanned out. Here they are, our favorite (and only decent) fantail photos. –Cyndi
