Birds from Tayandu Is (southern Moluccas) described as subspecies perneglecta, considered indistinguishable from assimilis. Subspecies hoedti has been listed as buettikoferi, described almost simultaneously from a different island; they have even been considered as two separate subspecies, but validity is questioned.
The following 20 subspecies are recognised:
vidua Salvadori & Turati, 1874 - Kofiau, in western Papuan Is.
gularis Müller, S, 1843 - Western Papuan Is (except Kofiau), New Guinea, including islands in Geelvink Bay (except Biak), Manam I, Goodenough I and Fergusson I, and islands in Torres Strait.
kordensis Meyer, AB, 1874 - Biak I. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Biak Fantail (Rhipidura kordensis).
niveiventris Rothschild & Hartert, 1914 - Admiralty Is (Manus, Rambutyo).
mussai Rothschild & Hartert, 1924 - Mussau I, in St Matthias Group.
setosa (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832) - New Hanover, New Ireland and Djaul I.
gigantea Stresemann, 1933 - Tabar Is and Lihir Is (off eastern New Ireland).
tangensis Mayr, 1955 - Boang, in Tanga Is (between Tabar and Lihir).
finschii Salvadori, 1882 - New Britain and Duke of York I.
obiensis Salvadori, 1876 - Obi I (south of Halmahera). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Obi Fantail (Rhipidura obiensis).
bouruensis Wallace, 1863 - Buru I. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Buru Fantail (Rhipidura bouruensis).
cinerea Wallace, 1865 - Seram and Ambon. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Seram Fantail (Rhipidura cinerea).
finitima Hartert, 1918 - Watubela Is (Tioor, Kasiui).
assimilis Gray, GR, 1858 - Tayandu Is and Kai Is (Kai Besar, Kai Kecil). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Kai Fantail (Rhipidura assimilis).
pallidiceps Hartert, 1904 - Wetar (in eastern Lesser Sundas).
hoedti Büttikofer, 1892 - Eastern Lesser Sundas (Romang, Damar, Leti, Moa, Sermata). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Banda Fantail (Rhipidura hoedti).
rufiventris (Vieillot, 1818) - Timor.
tenkatei Büttikofer, 1892 - Roti (off south-western Timor). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Roti Fantail (Rhipidura tenkatei).
isura Gould, 1841 - Northern Australia from about Broome (in northern western Australia) eastern across Top End to north-eastern Queensland (south to vicinity of Proserpine). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Northern Fantail (Rhipidura isura).
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
(31Kb) © ? (
BirdLife International Species Factsheet