Asian Paradise-Flycatcher

Race ceylonensis
Photo by Steve G
Amaya Lake Hotel, nr Dambulla, Sri Lanka, July 2009

Terpsiphone paradisi

Identification

20-22 cm, with 20cm long tail streamers
Two very distinct colour phases.
Male has black head and a shaggy peaked crest, bright blue skin round eye, blue bill. Body and very long ribbon tail either entirely white, with black wing feathers, or bright chestnut-brown body and tail, greyish face and breast, paler abdomen.
Female: like the chestnut-phase male, with shorter tail, shorter crest.

Distribution

Turkestan to Manchuria.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

There are 16 subspecies^[1]:

• T. p. leucogaster:

• Mountains of Afghanistan, Pakistan and western India

• T. p. paradisi:

• Central and southern India; winters to Sri Lanka

• T. p. ceylonensis: Photograph of Male

• Sri Lanka

• T. p. incei:

• China, Manchuria and Japan; winters to Malaysia and Sumatra

• T. p. saturatior:

• Eastern Himalayas, Assam and Bangladesh; winters to Malaysia

• T. p. myanmare:

• Central and southern Myanmar

• T. p. indochinensis:

• Southern China (southern Yunnan) to southern Thailand and Indochina

• T. p. affinis:

• Malaya, Sumatra, Riau and Lingga archaepelago, Bangka, Belitung islands

• T. p. nicobarica:

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands

• T. p. madzoedi:

• Northern Sumatra

• T. p. australis:

• Southern Sumatra and Java

• T. p. borneensis:

• Borneo

• T. p. procera:

• Simeulue Island (off Sumatra)

• T. p.insularis:

• Nias Island (off Sumatra)

• T. p. sumbaensis:

• Sumba (western Lesser Sundas)

• T. p. floris:

• Western Lesser Sundas (Sumbawa, Alor, Besar, Lomblen and Flores)

Three subspecies: T. p. madzoediare, T. p. australis (usually considered invalid) and T. p. burmae are not recognised by all authorities^[2]

Habitat

Thick forests and other well-wooded habitats.

Behaviour

Breeding

It builds a cup nest in a tree and 3-4 eggs are laid.

Diet

The diet includes insects.

Vocalisation

It has a sharp zweet call.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Avibase
3. Nationmaster
4. BF Member observations

External Links

Search for photos of Asian Paradise-Flycatcher in the gallery