[4] The New Zealand fantail was formally described and illustrated in 1787 by the Swedish naturalist Anders Sparrman.

It grows to 16 cm (6.3 in) in length, of which half is the tail, which, as the name implies, is often displayed fanned out.

The birds are not shy, and will often flit within a few metres 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.

[12] The bird's call is an almost metallic cheek, either as a single sound or (more often) repeated as a chattering.

The birds form compact, cup-shaped nests, usually in the forks of trees, made from moss, bark and fibre, and often completed with spider's web.

[15] The bulbous eyes and erratic flying behaviour of the bird is attributed to it being squeezed by Māui for not revealing the whereabouts of his ancestress Mahuika, the fire deity.