Chestnut-naped Forktail
Enicurus ruficapillus
The Chestnut-naped Forktail (Enicurus ruficapillus) is a rare chats, old world flycatchers, and alli found in 4 countries, weighing about 28 g. The chestnut-naped forktail is a species of bird in the flycatcher and chat family Muscicapidae.
About the Chestnut-naped Forktail
The chestnut-naped forktail is a species of bird in the flycatcher and chat family Muscicapidae. The species is monotypic, having no subspecies. It is found in Sundaland, in southern Burma and Thailand to Peninsular Malaysia, as well as Sumatra and Borneo. The species is not migratory.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The chestnut-naped forktail is 18 to 20 cm (7.1–7.9 in) long and weighs 27 g (0.95 oz). The head of the male is chestnut-coloured, with a white forehead and black mask in front of the eye. The wings are black with a white wing-bar. The breast is white with black barring, fading towards the white belly. The rump is white and the tail is black with white stripes and a white tip. The female is the same as the male except the back and mantle is chestnut. The chestnut-naped forktail calls in flight, either a single or three whistles.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Myanmar (Burma).
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, with peak activity in July. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Chestnut-naped Forktail?
- The chestnut-naped forktail is 18 to 20 cm (7.1–7.9 in) long and weighs 27 g (0.95 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Chestnut-naped Forktail?
- The Chestnut-naped Forktail is a small sized bird weighing about 28 g.
- Where can you see a Chestnut-naped Forktail?
- The Chestnut-naped Forktail occurs in 4 countries, including Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.
- What birds look similar to a Chestnut-naped Forktail?
- The Chestnut-naped Forktail is most easily confused with the Bornean Forktail, the Black-backed Forktail and the Sunda Forktail.
- Is the Chestnut-naped Forktail endangered?
- The Chestnut-naped Forktail is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Chestnut-naped Forktail for real
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