Red-flanked Bluetail
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 First winter female
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| Tarsiger cyanurus (Pallas, 1773) |
The Red-flanked Bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus) is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae. It, and related species, are often called chats.
It is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in mixed coniferous forest with undergrowth in north Asia to the Himalayas and western China. Red-flanked Bluetails winter in southeast Asia.
The species' range is slowly expanding westwards through Finland. It is a very rare but increasing vagrant to western Europe, and there have been a few records in westernmost North America.
The Red-flanked Bluetail nests near the ground, laying 3-5 eggs which are incubated by the female.
It is slightly larger in size than the European Robin. As the name implies, both sexes have a blue tail and reddish flanks. The adult male has dark blue upperparts and white underparts. Females are plain brown above and have a dusky breast.
The male sings its melancholy trill from treetops. Its call is a typical chat "tacc" noise.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Tarsiger cyanurus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
