- Passeriformes
- Monarchidae
Blyth's Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone affinis
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Identification
Breeding male’s trail long streamers are almost double the length of his body. Male comes in rufous and white morphs; both morphs have dark head, weak triangular crest, and blue eyering. Females resemble a non-breeding rufous male, but with a duller blue eyering and slightly paler head. Readily confused with Amur and Indian Paradise-Flycatchers, as well as female Black Paradise-Flycatcher, in areas of overlap. In these regions, note present species’ short rounded crest (vs. longer pointed crest of Indian), and pale rufous undertail on rufous birds (vs. white undertail on Amur and black); rufous birds also gradual gradation of gray on underparts, lacking strong contrast and sharp cutoffs. Note dark wing and central tail feather shaft streaks on white birds. Inhabits evergreen broadleaf forest and forest edge, including secondary growth, gardens, and plantations, in lowlands and foothills. Some populations are migratory. Song is a ringing “wiwiwiwiwiwiwi;” call is a nasal “ji-jeh” or “ji-jeh-jeh.”