Nilgiri Flycatcher
Eumyias albicaudatus
Entirely indigo-blue male is unique; Verditer Flycatcher is brighter blue and more elongated. Female Nilgiri is gray overall, though can sometimes show a bluish tinge in good lighting. Song consists of a lengthy series of various whistles and warbled notes, typically given from an exposed perch by both sexes. Sallies from perches in hill forest and forest edge; most common above 1200 meters.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Eumyias albicaudatus
- Authority
- (Jerdon, 1840)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Eumyias
Range and habitat
This species is found in the higher hills (mostly above 1200 m) of the Nilgiris, Palni Hills, Anaimalai Hills, the Brahmagiri, Bababudan Hills, and Biligiriranga Hills.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Like most flycatchers, it makes sallies to capture insects and returns to its perch. It forages mainly in the lower storey but can sometimes be found on top of the canopy. The song is a series of rich warbling notes (having a resemblance to the call of the pied bushchat) while the usual call is a soft nasal chipping eep. They perch upright and produce the chipping note while flicking the tail up and down. The breeding season is from March to June but peak egg-laying is in April. The nest is built in a cavity in an earth bank or a tree hole. They also use the eaves of houses and wood-work of bridges. The nest is a cup with mosses and lichens on the outside with some feathers and is not very well lined on the inside. The usual clutch is two to three eggs. The eggs are creamy brown with a dense mottling close along the broadest part of the egg.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Green-crowned Plovercrest
Stephanoxis lalandi
Medium-sized hummingbird with an iridescent green body and short bill. Males have a long iridescent green crest, a violet throat that extends down the belly, flanked in gray. The female has a less prominent crest, a gray belly, and a more prominent white spot behind the eye. Resembles Violet-crowned Plovercrest, but male Green-crowned Plovercrests have a green rather than violet-blue crest. Females of Green-crowned Plovercrest have slightly smaller white tips to the outer tail feathers. Found in the understory of lowland and montane forests and light woodlands.
Square-tailed Kite
Lophoictinia isura
Uncommon, inconspicuous raptor with a fairly small bill. Adult has a pale head and reddish underparts with black streaks on neck. Juvenile has a more reddish head with less streaking. In flight, tail has obvious square corners with a dark band at the base. Sails over forest woodland habitats just above the tree canopy, typically with little wing movement. Occurs singly or in pairs. At a distance, and particularly when heavily worn, take care to identify juvenile birds from Black Kite, which has more uniformly patterned plumage.
Archbold's Nightjar
Eurostopodus archboldi
The only nightjar in the mountains of New Guinea. White chevron in the throat but lacks any white patches in the wing or tail. Forages in flight over forest gaps and heathland or does sallies from a perch. Similar to the lowland Papuan Nightjar but does not co-occur. Call, a short single note, followed by 2 churring notes, the second downslured, “whip! wirrr-weerrr”.
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