About the Nilgiri Flycatcher
The Nilgiri flycatcher is an Old World flycatcher with a very restricted range in the hills of southern India. It was formerly referred to as the Nilgiri verditer flycatcher because of its similarity to the verditer flycatcher, a winter migrant to the Nilgiris, which, however, has distinct dark lores and a lighter shade of blue. There are two small white patches at the base of the tail. It is found mainly in the higher altitude shola forests of the Western Ghats and the Nilgiris.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
This small and somewhat long-tailed flycatcher is about 13 cm (5.1 in). It is dark steely indigo blue with some violet-blue on the forehead and darker lores. It is much darker than the verditer flycatcher and does not have as strong a contrast in the pale face and black lores. The female is duller with dark brown on the upperparts and dark grey below. The two central tail feathers are blue and the lateral feathers are dark brown and edged with indigo. The bases of the outer tail feathers are white but this is not easily visible when the bird is sitting.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in February · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Indigo FlycatcherEumyias indigoThe indigo flycatcher is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae.
Turquoise FlycatcherEumyias panayensisThe turquoise flycatcher, also known as the island flycatcher, is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae.
Dull-blue FlycatcherEumyias sordidusThis species is 15 cm (5.9 in) long.
Learn the Nilgiri Flycatcher for real
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