White-bellied blue flycatcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-bellied blue flycatcher |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Male at a bird bath (Dandeli, India) |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cyornis
|
| Species: |
pallidipes
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Cyornis pallipes |
|
The white-bellied blue flycatcher (Cyornis pallidipes) is a small, pretty bird. It is a type of bird that catches flies. This bird lives only in the Western Ghats area of southwest India. Male flycatchers are dark blue with a lighter blue color on their forehead. They have a grayish-white belly. Female flycatchers have a reddish-brown chest and a white face. Their upper body is olive-grey.
What Does It Look Like?
This flycatcher is about 13 centimetres (5.1 in) long. It has a beak that is a bit long. It looks for food in the shady, thick parts of the forest. It flies out quickly to catch insects in the air.
The male bird is a deep blue color. Its eyebrows and forehead are a bright blue. The area around its eyes and face is dark grey. Its belly is white with a smoky grey edge.
The female bird is olive-brown on top. The area around her eyes is whitish. Her throat and chest are reddish-brown. This color fades to white near her belly. The female has a chestnut-colored tail. You can tell her apart from other flycatchers. She does not have a black and white pattern on her tail.
Where Does It Live?
The white-bellied blue flycatcher lives in thick forests. It is found in areas called sholas. These are special forest patches in the Western Ghats. You can find them from Mahabaleshwar down to southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala. This includes the Nilgiris and Biligirirangan Hills. They mostly live in hill forests. You can see them from the lower hills up to about 1700 meters high.
Bird Behavior
The white-bellied blue flycatcher is usually quiet. It does not move around much. It looks for food in the dark, shady parts under the forest trees. These birds have a very soft song. You can only hear it if you are very close. Their song is a mix of rising and falling notes. It also has clicks and squeaks.
They are usually seen alone or in pairs. Sometimes, they join groups of different bird species. These groups all look for food together.
Life Cycle
The breeding season for these birds is from February to September. This is mostly during the monsoon rains. They build a rough cup-shaped nest. It is made of moss and lined neatly inside. They place their nests low down. You might find a nest on a mossy rock or in a tree hole. Sometimes, they build nests in a mud-bank.
They usually lay four eggs. The eggs are a pale sea-green color. They have brown spots, especially at the wider end.
