Indian Paradise Flycatcher
Terpsiphone paradisi
The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) is a common monarch flycatchers, paradise flycatchers, and shrikebill found in 28 countries, weighing about 19 g. The Indian paradise flycatcher is a medium-sized passerine bird in the monarch flycatcher family, Monarchidae.
About the Indian Paradise Flycatcher
The Indian paradise flycatcher is a medium-sized passerine bird in the monarch flycatcher family, Monarchidae. As the global population is considered stable, it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2004. It is native to the Indian subcontinent, with resident and breeding populations in most of Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka, as well as parts of Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Adult Indian paradise flycatchers are 19–22 cm (7.5–8.7 in) long. Their heads are glossy black with a black crown and crest, their black bill round and sturdy, and their eyes black. Females are rufous on the back with a greyish throat and underparts. Their wings are 86–92 mm (3.4–3.6 in) long. Young males look very much like females but have a black throat and blue-ringed eyes. As adults, they develop up to 24 cm (9.4 in) long tail feathers with two central tail feathers growing up to 30 cm (12 in) long drooping streamers. Young males are rufous and have short tails.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November, December, with peak activity in February. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an Indian Paradise Flycatcher?
- Adult Indian paradise flycatchers are 19–22 cm (7.5–8.7 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an Indian Paradise Flycatcher?
- The Indian Paradise Flycatcher is a small sized bird weighing about 19 g.
- Where can you see an Indian Paradise Flycatcher?
- The Indian Paradise Flycatcher occurs in 28 countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
- What birds look similar to an Indian Paradise Flycatcher?
- The Indian Paradise Flycatcher is most easily confused with the African Paradise Flycatcher, the Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher and the Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher.
- Is the Indian Paradise Flycatcher endangered?
- The Indian Paradise Flycatcher is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Indian Paradise Flycatcher for real
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