Red-flanked Bluetail

Overview

The red-flanked bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus) is a small passerine bird classified within the Old World flycatcher family. It is a migratory species that breeds in northern Asia and northeastern Europe, while wintering primarily in southeast Asia.

Identification

• Length of 13–14 cm with a weight of 10–18 g, featuring a slimmer build than a European robin.
• Plumage consists of a blue tail and rump with orange-red flanks, paired with a white throat and greyish-white underparts.
• Adult males display dark blue upperparts, whereas females and immature males are plain brown above with dusky breasts.
• Possesses a small, thin black bill and slender black legs.
• Behaviour includes frequent tail-flicking and singing a melancholy trill from treetops.

Habitat

The species breeds in mixed coniferous forests with undergrowth across northeastern Europe, northern Asia, and parts of central Asia. It is migratory, wintering mainly in southeastern Asia, including the Indian subcontinent, the Himalayas, Taiwan, and northern Indochina.

Diet

This insectivorous bird forages by regularly flying from a perch to catch insects in the air or on the ground.

Did you know?

Formerly considered thrushes, genetic analysis revealed that these chats are actually Old World flycatchers, indicating their resemblance to thrushes is a result of convergent evolution.