Size: 20-23cm

Description: Dark brown, scaly looking bird with black head. Red tuft of feathers at base of tail gives its name. Tail is relatively long and dark with white tip. Often seen hopping on tree branches, in shrubs, or on the ground. Sexes alike.

Diet: mainly eats fruit and invertebrates. Will engage in short aerial sorties from a perch to catch flying insects in the air.

Song: a short, rapidly repeated “prit-prit-prit”. Alarm call is a loud “PEEP”.

Breeds: Feb-Nov.