We have had 2 sightings of a black fantail, or ‘Black Morph’ (at Patumahoe, Wayne Meads and Mauku, Roelf Schreuder) Roelf took the enclosed picture. We are not sure if it is the same bird. Keep a look out.
In the North Island they are very rare and Dave Lawrie from Birds NZ commented that he has only seen 2 in over 40 years in Pukekohe East.
In the South Island they are much more common and make up close to 5% of the population.
I have a poor photo of one that I saw in Cornford Rd, Karori, Wellington last year. I wasn’t sure what I was seeing at first as I was unaware there was such a thing as a black piwakawaka.