Kerala, though a small state, has no littleness when it comes to the variety of flora and fauna. About 500 bird species add liveliness to the natural life of Kerala. Of these, 16 species are endemic to the Western Ghats region.
The Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) is an elegant bird found in the dense forests of Kerala. This bird is a migrant from the Himalayas.
The male bird has a long tail trailing behind it like a ribbon. The tail alone has a length of 27 centimetres. The sight of this bird in flight is simply spectacular. The female birds lack this beautiful tail. Their body is chestnut brown.
The Paradise Flycatcher belongs to the Monarch flycatcher group and is distinguished by its active nature. They are often seen picking insects off branches and trunks of trees.
These birds build neat, cup shaped nests which would be lined with hair and decorated with mosses and liverworts. Three to four eggs are laid at a time.