African Paradise Flycatcher

Terpsiphone viridis

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesWoodlandCup nestTiny · 13 g

ID tip

The adult male African paradise flycatcher is about 17 cm (6.7 in) long, but the very long tail streamers double this. It has a black head, neck and underparts, and chestnut wings and tail. There is a prominent white wingbar. The female has a browner tint to the underparts and lacks the wingbar and tail streamers. Young birds are similar to the female but duller. The males show considerable variation in plumage in some areas. There is a morph of this species in which the male has the chestnut parts of the plumage replaced by white, and some races have black tail streamers.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the African Paradise Flycatcher

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 9 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is November, the month with the most records.

Where to see the African Paradise Flycatcher

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 43 countries with regular records, and 1 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Recorded as a rare visitor in Djibouti.

About the African Paradise Flycatcher

The African paradise flycatcher is a medium-sized passerine bird. The two central tail feathers of the male are extended into streamers that commonly are more than twice as long as the body. The female tail feathers are of moderate length and without streamers. The upper parts of the male body, wings, and tail are boldly coloured in chestnut or rusty shades, but the underparts and the head are variably grey to blue-gray, with the head of the mature male being darker, commonly glossy black with greenish highlights. The beak and other bare areas, including a wattle ring round the eye, match the colour of the surrounding feathers.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side: African Paradise Flycatcher vs Indian Paradise Flycatcher · African Paradise Flycatcher vs Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher

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