The Nilgiri blue robin, also known as Nilgiri shortwing, white-bellied shortwing, Nilgiri sholakili or rufous-bellied shortwing is a species of passerine bird in the family Muscicapidae endemic to the Shola forests of the higher hills of southern India, mainly north of the Palghat Gap. This small bird is found on the forest floor and undergrowth of dense forest patches sheltered in the valleys of montane grassland, a restricted and threatened habitat.
Region
Western Ghats, southern India
Typical Environment
Occurs in montane shola forests embedded within grassland mosaics on the Nilgiri and Wayanad plateaus and adjacent high ridges north of the Palghat Gap. It favors dense, moist evergreen thickets in sheltered valleys, ravines, and along shaded stream courses. Habitat is highly patchy, with birds largely confined to continuous shola blocks and their immediate edges. It is typically absent from degraded or open forest and plantations lacking dense understory.
Altitude Range
1200–2400 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the Nilgiri shortwing or Nilgiri sholakili, this shy understory bird is restricted to shola forest patches in the higher Western Ghats north of the Palghat Gap. It spends most of its time close to the ground, flicking its short tail while gleaning in leaf litter. Its specialized montane habitat is naturally fragmented and threatened by land-use change, making the species a conservation priority.
Nilgiri blue robin at Coonoor
Plumage of Sholicola major underside showing the rufous flanks and white belly
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low to the ground
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs, maintaining small territories within dense shola undergrowth. Breeding pairs nest low in banks or dense shrubs, building a domed nest hidden in vegetation. They are largely secretive, slipping through cover rather than crossing open spaces.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A rich, musical series of clear whistles and trills delivered from concealed perches, most frequent at dawn. Calls include thin seep notes and soft tacks given from within dense cover.
Plumage
Compact, short-tailed robin-like bird. Male shows dark slate-blue upperparts with contrasting rich rufous to orange-brown underparts; throat and breast washed bluish. Female is dull brown-olive above with warm rufous underparts and a faint pale eye-ring. Both sexes have a short, often cocked tail and fine, slender bill.
Diet
Primarily feeds on small invertebrates such as beetles, ants, caterpillars, and spiders, gleaned from leaf litter and low vegetation. It occasionally probes mossy logs and damp soil along shaded streams. Small berries may be taken opportunistically when available.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the forest floor and in the lower understory of mature shola patches, especially in moist, shaded ravines and along stream edges. Avoids open ground, preferring dense tangles and leaf-littered sites for cover.
