Tickell's blue-flycatcher

Cyornis tickelliae

Photo by J.J. Harrison (Wikipedia)

Common name:

Tickell's blue-flycatcher (en); papa-moscas-de-Tickell (pt); gobemouche de Tickell (fr); niltava de Tickell (es); braunbrust-blauschnäpper (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Muscicapidae

Range:

This Asian species is found from India and Sri Lanka, through Bangladesh and Nepal, and into Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Size:

These birds are 11-12 cm long and weigh 8-10 g.

Habitat:

The Tickell's blue-flycatcher is mostly found in dry forests, scrubland, bamboo and gardens. They can also be found in arable land and plantations.

Diet:

They feed mainly by capturing insects in flight but their prey include other insects such as termites and earwigs that may be gleaned or picked from the ground.

Breeding:

Tickell's blue-flycatcher breed in March-August. They nest in a hole in a tree or amongst rocks, lined with fine grasses and fibres. There the female lays 3-5 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 10-12 days. The chicks are cared for by both sexes and fledge 10-11 days after hatching, but continue to be fed by their parents for another week.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and is described as locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.