- 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
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are 16 subspecies[1]:
- T. p. leucogaster:
- Mountains of Afghanistan, Pakistan and western India
- T. p. paradisi:
- T. p. ceylonensis:
- T. p. incei:
- T. p. saturatior:
- Eastern Himalayas, Assam and Bangladesh; winters to Malaysia
- T. p. myanmare:
- Central and southern Myanmar
- T. p. indochinensis:
- T. p. affinis:
- T. p. nicobarica:
- T. p. madzoedi:
- Northern Sumatra
- T. p. australis:
- T. p. borneensis:
- 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
- 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
- Avibase
- Nationmaster
- BF Member observations