In a mountain stream-torrent : its typical habitat
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Kainchi Ashram, Alt. 4800 ft, Nainital, Uttarakhand Himalayas, India, October-2011
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Kainchi Ashram, Alt. 4800 ft, Nainital, Uttarakhand Himalayas, India, October-2011
- Enicurus scouleri
Identification
12–14 cm (4¾-5½) The smallest forktail with a fairly short tail
- Black head to upper breast
- Black wings and centre of tail
- White fore-rump, underparts, undertail coverts and vent
- Black bill
- Pale pink feet
Distribution
Asia: found in Russia, Turkestan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, China, Tibet, Nepal
South Asia: Pakistan, India, Eastern and Western Himalayas, Bhutan, Taiwan
Southeast Asia: Indochina, Myanmar and Vietnam
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are 2 subspecies[1]
- E. s. scouleri:
- Mountains of eastern Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and north-eastern Afghanistan to the Himalayas, northern India, south-western China, and northern Indochina
- E. s. fortis:
- Mountain streams of Taiwan
Habitat
Rocky mountain streams in forested areas, especially waterfalls.
Behaviour
Diet
Diet consists of aquatic insects and crustaceans including beetles and ants.
Breeding
The cup-shaped nest is made of moss, leaves and grass, usually found in a rock crevice or on a ledge, which is very often behind a waterfall. The clutch consists of 3-5 eggs.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved September 2015)
- Birding in Taiwan
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Little Forktail. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 6 October 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Little_Forktail
External Links
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