The rusty-tailed flycatcher is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found mainly in the northern regions of the Indian Subcontinent and some parts of southwest India, as well as pockets of Central Asia including Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The species is partially migratory, with the Central Asian populations migrating to India, as far as the southwest Indian coast along the Arabian Sea, to Karnataka and Kerala.
Region
South and Central Asia
Typical Environment
Breeds in the Himalayan foothills and montane regions of northern India, Nepal, and adjacent Central Asia, including parts of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. In winter it moves south through the Indian subcontinent, reaching the southwest coast in Karnataka and Kerala. It occupies open broadleaf and mixed forests, wooded ravines, orchard edges, and scrubby hillsides. During winter it also uses parks, plantations, and well-treed gardens at lower elevations. It favors areas with scattered perches for flycatching and nearby cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 3000 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This small flycatcher is best recognized by its warm rufous tail contrasting with gray-brown upperparts. It breeds in Central Asia and the northern Indian subcontinent and winters farther south into peninsular India. It often hunts from low perches, sallying out to catch flying insects before returning to the same spot.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick sallies from a perch
Social Behavior
Typically encountered alone or in pairs during the breeding season, maintaining small territories with prominent perch sites. The nest is a neat cup placed on a branch fork or sheltered ledge, built from fine fibers, moss, and grass. Clutches are small, and both parents participate in feeding the young.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Song is a soft, thin series of whistles and subdued trills delivered from a shaded perch. Calls include sharp ticks and high, sibilant seep notes, often given during foraging.
