New Zealand Fantail

Pīwakawaka is a small, active flycatcher recognised by its constantly opening black-and-white fan tail. The common pied morph has a grey head, white eyebrows, brown back and cinnamon underparts. Adults of the pied morph show a white eyebrow, black-and-white breast bands and a long black tail edged white; juveniles are browner and lack the crisp face and breast pattern. A black morph occurs mainly in the South Island and has no white in the tail.

Pīwakawaka occur from Northland to Rakiura/Stewart Island and on Chatham, Pitt, Rangatira and Mangere islands. They use native forest, scrub, plantations, farm shelterbelts and well-treed urban parks and gardens. They fan the tail and flick the wings to flush moths, flies, beetles and spiders, then catch prey in short aerial sallies. Both adults incubate 2–5 eggs for about two weeks and feed the nestlings for roughly another two weeks.

Mainland pīwakawaka are Not Threatened (NZ Threat Classification), while the Chatham Island subspecies has a separate Naturally Uncommon classification. Ship rats take nesting adults, eggs and chicks, and prolonged cold wet weather can cause sharp local declines. Wooded parks, gardens and forest tracks throughout New Zealand are good places to see pīwakawaka at any season. Birds often approach walkers closely to catch insects disturbed from vegetation.