Paradise Flycatcher or Terpsiphone paradisi

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.

Courtesy: www.birdwingtours.com