Mascarene Paradise-Flycatcher
Terpsiphone bourbonnensis
A pretty and distinctive bird that always lacks the long tail streamers possessed by some paradise-flycatchers. Note the rufous back and tail and the gray underparts. Males and females differ slightly: males have a black cap and a blue eye-ring, whereas females have a dark-gray cap without a distinctive eye-ring. Fairly common on Reunion in all types of humid forest. Rare on Mauritius in remnant rainforest patches. Calls include a tearing “sree-sreeet” and an agitated twittering. The song is a long musical series of “twee” notes.
Identification
The Mascarene paradise flycatcher lacks the long tail shared by many members of the paradise flycatcher genus Terpsiphone, and measures 15 to 20 cm (5.9–7.9 in) in length. The male has a black head with a grey neck-band, throat, breast and belly. The upperparts and tail are chestnut, and the wings are tipped black. The bill is bright blue, and the legs greyish. The female is smaller than the male, with a paler bill and a dark-grey head. The subspecies T. b. desolata is larger than the nominate and has brighter plumage.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Terpsiphone bourbonnensis
- Authority
- (Müller, PLS, 1776)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Monarchidae
- Genus
- Terpsiphone
Range and habitat
The habitat requirements of this species vary by subspecies. T. b. desolata is mostly restricted to native evergreen and some plantations of Araucaria cunninghamii and A. columnaris. Its preferred habitat seems to be a closed canopy with still air but not too much undergrowth. The nominate subspecies on Réunion is more varied in its habitat, occupying a range of forested habitats from sea level to 500–600 m (1,600–2,000 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The Mascarene paradise flycatcher feeds on a range of insects, including beetles, flies, dragonflies, moths, grasshoppers, and mayflies. Prey is obtained by watching from a perch and then hawking from the air or sally-gleaning off vegetation. It may also glean insects off vegetation while perched. They usually feed alone, but may join flocks of white-eyes; this behaviour is more common on Réunion than Mauritius.<p>Breeding is seasonal, from August to February on Mauritius and September to December on Réunion. The nest is a cone-shaped cup of moss, lichen and spiderweb. Two to three creamy or pink-white eggs, with rusty spots are laid and then incubated by both parents for 14–16 days. Chicks are fed for five weeks after hatching and remain in their parent's territory for 8–9 weeks after fledging.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
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