Terpsiphone
Encyclopedia
The paradise-flycatchers, Terpsiphone, are a genus
of monarch flycatchers. The genus ranges
across Africa
and Asia
, as well as a number of islands. A few species are migratory
, but the majority are resident. The most telling characteristic of the genus is the long tail streamers of the males of many species. In addition to the long tails the males and females are sexually dimorphic
and have rufous, black and white plumage
.
of any of the monarch-flycatchers, ranging across sub-Saharan Africa
, southern and eastern Asia
and down into Southeastern Asia. At the northern extreme of its range it reaches Korea and Afghanistan. The species also occurs on a number of islands, including those of Indonesia
and the Philippines
, Taiwan
, and Japan
, as well as Madagascar
, the Mascarenes and the Seychelles
in the Indian Ocean
and Sao Tome
off Africa's Atlantic
coast.
The paradise-flycatchers inhabit a range of habitat types, from rainforest to montane forest, woodlands, savanna, mangroves, riparian forest, deciduous forests and bamboo groves, some species will also move into gardens and cultivated habitat.
Several species of paradise-flycatcher are migratory
. The Japanese Paradise-flycatcher
is almost entirely migratory, breeding in Korea
and Japan
and wintering in the Philippines
, Malaysia and Sumatra
. It does however also occur in Taiwan, where the population is apparently resident. The Asian Paradise-flycatcher is migratory in the northern parts of its range, breeding as far north as Afghanistan, northern China and Korea, but all populations north of southern China move south during the winter. The movements of the other species are not fully understood, but most are thought to be resident. Several subspecies of the African Paradise-flycatcher are apparently intra-African migrants, but little is known about these movements.
The paradise flycatchers are generally small birds, around 18 to 21 cm (7.1 to 8.3 in) in length and weighing 12 to 23 g (0.423287545261344 to 0.811301128417575 oz). They have a medium length grey or blueish bill
which is broad and hooked at the end and is surrounded by stiff rictal bristles. The inside of the mouths of paradise-flycatchers are brightly coloured, being either yellow or green. The tails are long, particularly in many species where the male has a massively elongated pair of middle tail feathers. These tail streamers are 195 mm long in the male Sao Tome Paradise-flycatcher
and 412 mm long in the male Asian Paradise-flycatcher. The function of the long tail is assumed to be related to sexual selection
, with females choosing males based on the length of the tail. Not all species have long tail streamers, for example the Blue Paradise-flycatcher
of Palawan
in Asia and the Bedford's Paradise-flycatcher
of montane Africa do not have exceptionally long tails. In most species the tail is longer than the wing, even in the shorter tailed females. The eye is surrounded by an eyering that is a blue thin wattle (slightly more pronounced in some species like the Rufous Paradise Flycatcher).
The plumage
of the paradise-flycatchers is sexually dimorphic
, with rufous, white and black being the most common colours; one species has blue plumage and a few have traces of maroon. Sexual dimorphism can be pronounced (and of course more so in the long-tailed males) or subtle; the female Bedford's Paradise-flycatcher is identical to the male except slightly duller. Some species sport prominent crests. In some species, for example the Madagascar Paradise-flycatcher
, the males have two or more colour morphs.
from a perch, sallying, hovering, gleaning
, and flush-pursuiting. They will join mixed-species feeding flock
s, for example the Madagascar Paradise-flycatcher will regularly form small two species flocks with the Common Newtonia
while foraging.
-_male_with_a_feed_at_nest_w_img_9293.jpg)
Paradise-flycatchers, like all monarch flycatchers, are monogamous
and are generally territorial
, although in some cases birds may nest close together and defend the nests together against predators. Females apparently select males based on their tail length, a form of sexual selection. Paradise-flycatchers are unusual as exaggerated sexual traits are usually found in promiscuous birds, not monogamous ones. The nests of this genus are neat deep cups placed on a branch or twig, often in a fork. They are usually placed 1–3 m off the ground. They are often very conspicuous, particularly when the long-tailed males are incubating. The nests are, however, aggressively defended by the pair. Amongst the pair duties are shared but not equally. For example, in the Madagascar Paradise-flycatcher
the female undertakes more brooding responsibilities whereas the male spends more time guarding the nest.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of monarch flycatchers. The genus ranges
Range (biology)
In biology, the range or distribution of a species is the geographical area within which that species can be found. Within that range, dispersion is variation in local density.The term is often qualified:...
across Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, as well as a number of islands. A few species are migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
, but the majority are resident. The most telling characteristic of the genus is the long tail streamers of the males of many species. In addition to the long tails the males and females are sexually dimorphic
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
and have rufous, black and white plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
.
Distribution, habitat and movements
The paradise-flycatchers have the widest distributionRange (biology)
In biology, the range or distribution of a species is the geographical area within which that species can be found. Within that range, dispersion is variation in local density.The term is often qualified:...
of any of the monarch-flycatchers, ranging across sub-Saharan Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, southern and eastern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and down into Southeastern Asia. At the northern extreme of its range it reaches Korea and Afghanistan. The species also occurs on a number of islands, including those of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, as well as Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, the Mascarenes and the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
and Sao Tome
São Tomé
-Transport:São Tomé is served by São Tomé International Airport with regular flights to Europe and other African Countries.-Climate:São Tomé features a tropical wet and dry climate with a relatively lengthy wet season and a short dry season. The wet season runs from October through May while the...
off Africa's Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coast.
The paradise-flycatchers inhabit a range of habitat types, from rainforest to montane forest, woodlands, savanna, mangroves, riparian forest, deciduous forests and bamboo groves, some species will also move into gardens and cultivated habitat.
Several species of paradise-flycatcher are migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
. The Japanese Paradise-flycatcher
Japanese Paradise-flycatcher
The Japanese Paradise-flycatcher , also called the Black Paradise-flycatcher, is a medium-sized passerine bird...
is almost entirely migratory, breeding in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and wintering in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Malaysia and Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
. It does however also occur in Taiwan, where the population is apparently resident. The Asian Paradise-flycatcher is migratory in the northern parts of its range, breeding as far north as Afghanistan, northern China and Korea, but all populations north of southern China move south during the winter. The movements of the other species are not fully understood, but most are thought to be resident. Several subspecies of the African Paradise-flycatcher are apparently intra-African migrants, but little is known about these movements.
Description
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
which is broad and hooked at the end and is surrounded by stiff rictal bristles. The inside of the mouths of paradise-flycatchers are brightly coloured, being either yellow or green. The tails are long, particularly in many species where the male has a massively elongated pair of middle tail feathers. These tail streamers are 195 mm long in the male Sao Tome Paradise-flycatcher
São Tomé Paradise-flycatcher
The São Tomé Paradise-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is endemic to São Tomé and Príncipe....
and 412 mm long in the male Asian Paradise-flycatcher. The function of the long tail is assumed to be related to sexual selection
Sexual selection
Sexual selection, a concept introduced by Charles Darwin in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species, is a significant element of his theory of natural selection...
, with females choosing males based on the length of the tail. Not all species have long tail streamers, for example the Blue Paradise-flycatcher
Blue Paradise-flycatcher
The Blue Paradise-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is endemic to the Philippines.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss....
of Palawan
Palawan
Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
in Asia and the Bedford's Paradise-flycatcher
Bedford's Paradise-flycatcher
The Bedford's Paradise-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is endemic to Democratic Republic of the Congo....
of montane Africa do not have exceptionally long tails. In most species the tail is longer than the wing, even in the shorter tailed females. The eye is surrounded by an eyering that is a blue thin wattle (slightly more pronounced in some species like the Rufous Paradise Flycatcher).
The plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
of the paradise-flycatchers is sexually dimorphic
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
, with rufous, white and black being the most common colours; one species has blue plumage and a few have traces of maroon. Sexual dimorphism can be pronounced (and of course more so in the long-tailed males) or subtle; the female Bedford's Paradise-flycatcher is identical to the male except slightly duller. Some species sport prominent crests. In some species, for example the Madagascar Paradise-flycatcher
Madagascar Paradise-flycatcher
The Madagascar Paradise-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is found in Comoros, Madagascar, and Mayotte....
, the males have two or more colour morphs.
Calls and song
The paradise-flycatchers make a range of vocalisations, these range from whistling songs to harsher calls. These songs and calls are typical of the monarch flycatchers. The songs are simpler in the Asian species, for example the call of the Japanese Paradise-flycatcher is a repeated three syllable whistle. The songs of the African species are more complex and, in the case of species with a large range, vary geographically. The calls are generally simple and are harsh and grating.Diet and feeding
The paradise-flycatchers are, as their name suggests, insectivores, feeding on a variety of insects, usually obtained on the wing. They use a variety of foraging techniques, including hawkingHawking (birds)
Hawking is a feeding strategy in birds involving catching flying insects in the air. The term usually refers to a technique of sallying out from a perch to snatch an insect and then returning to the same or a different perch...
from a perch, sallying, hovering, gleaning
Gleaning (birds)
Gleaning is a term for a feeding strategy by birds in which they catch invertebrate prey, mainly arthropods, by plucking them from foliage or the ground, from crevices such as rock faces and under the eaves of houses, or even, as in the case of ticks and lice, from living animals. This behavior is...
, and flush-pursuiting. They will join mixed-species feeding flock
Mixed-species feeding flock
A mixed-species feeding flock, also termed a mixed-species foraging flock, mixed hunting party or informally bird wave, is a flock of usually insectivorous birds of different species, that join each other and move together while foraging...
s, for example the Madagascar Paradise-flycatcher will regularly form small two species flocks with the Common Newtonia
Common Newtonia
The Common Newtonia is a species of bird in the Vangidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
while foraging.
Breeding
Monogamy
Monogamy /Gr. μονός+γάμος - one+marriage/ a form of marriage in which an individual has only one spouse at any one time. In current usage monogamy often refers to having one sexual partner irrespective of marriage or reproduction...
and are generally territorial
Territory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
, although in some cases birds may nest close together and defend the nests together against predators. Females apparently select males based on their tail length, a form of sexual selection. Paradise-flycatchers are unusual as exaggerated sexual traits are usually found in promiscuous birds, not monogamous ones. The nests of this genus are neat deep cups placed on a branch or twig, often in a fork. They are usually placed 1–3 m off the ground. They are often very conspicuous, particularly when the long-tailed males are incubating. The nests are, however, aggressively defended by the pair. Amongst the pair duties are shared but not equally. For example, in the Madagascar Paradise-flycatcher
Madagascar Paradise-flycatcher
The Madagascar Paradise-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is found in Comoros, Madagascar, and Mayotte....
the female undertakes more brooding responsibilities whereas the male spends more time guarding the nest.
Species
- Terpsiphone atrocaudata (Eyton, 1839) - Japanese Paradise-flycatcherJapanese Paradise-flycatcherThe Japanese Paradise-flycatcher , also called the Black Paradise-flycatcher, is a medium-sized passerine bird...
- Terpsiphone atrochalybeia (Thomson, 1842) - Sao Tome Paradise-flycatcherSão Tomé Paradise-flycatcherThe São Tomé Paradise-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is endemic to São Tomé and Príncipe....
- Terpsiphone batesi Chapin, 1921 - Bates's Paradise-flycatcherBates's Paradise-flycatcherBates's Paradise-flycatcher is a passerine bird belonging to the genus Terpsiphone in the monarch-flycatcher family, Monarchidae. It is native to Central Africa. It is was formerly included in the Rufous-vented Paradise-flycatcher but is now often regarded as a separate species...
- Terpsiphone bedfordi (Ogilvie-Grant, 1907) - Bedford's Paradise-flycatcherBedford's Paradise-flycatcherThe Bedford's Paradise-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is endemic to Democratic Republic of the Congo....
- Terpsiphone bourbonnensis (Statius Müller, 1776) - Mascarene Paradise-flycatcherMascarene Paradise-flycatcherThe Mascarene Paradise-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is found in Mauritius and Réunion. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
- Terpsiphone cinnamomea (Sharpe, 1877) - Rufous Paradise-flycatcherRufous Paradise-flycatcherThe Rufous Paradise-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is found in Indonesia and the Philippines.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
- Terpsiphone corvina (Newton,E, 1867) - Seychelles Paradise-flycatcherSeychelles Paradise-FlycatcherThe Seychelles Paradise-flycatcher is a rare bird from the genus of paradise-flycatchers within the family Monarchidae. It is endemic to the Seychelles.-Description:...
- Terpsiphone cyanescens (Sharpe, 1877) - Blue Paradise-flycatcherBlue Paradise-flycatcherThe Blue Paradise-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is endemic to the Philippines.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss....
- Terpsiphone mutata (Linnaeus, 1766) - Madagascar Paradise-flycatcherMadagascar Paradise-flycatcherThe Madagascar Paradise-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is found in Comoros, Madagascar, and Mayotte....
- Terpsiphone paradisi (Linnaeus, 1758) - Asian Paradise-flycatcher-In bengali Dudhraj/দুধরাজ
- Terpsiphone rufiventer (Swainson, 1837) - Red-bellied Paradise-flycatcher
- Terpsiphone rufocinerea (Cabanis, 1875) - Rufous-vented Paradise-flycatcherRufous-vented Paradise-flycatcherThe Rufous-vented Paradise-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Monarchidae family.It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical swamps and...
- Terpsiphone smithii (Fraser, 1843) - Annobón Paradise-flycatcherAnnobón Paradise-flycatcherThe Annobón Paradise-flycatcher is a medium-sized passerine bird. It was previously classified with the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae, but the paradise-flycatchers, monarch flycatchers and Australasian fantails are now normally grouped with the drongos in the family Dicruridae, which...
- Terpsiphone viridis (Statius Müller, 1776) - African Paradise-flycatcher