The white-tailed robin is an Old World flycatcher in the family Muscicapidae. It ranges across the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent and adjacent areas of Southeast Asia. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
Region
Himalayas and Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Occurs from the Himalayan foothills through northeastern India and Bangladesh into Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan. It inhabits subtropical and tropical moist broadleaf forests, especially dense undergrowth along shaded gullies and stream courses. Birds favor evergreen and mixed forests with thick leaf litter and tangled shrubs. They often use forest edges, bamboo thickets, and secondary growth if sufficient cover remains.
Altitude Range
200–2600 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The white-tailed robin is a shy, understory-dwelling Old World flycatcher noted for the male’s striking white tail sides that flash in flight. It prefers dark, moist forest ravines and often stays near streams. Pairs maintain territories, and the male delivers rich, whistled songs from low, concealed perches. It is broadly distributed in South and Southeast Asia and is assessed as Least Concern.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs, keeping low in dense cover. Pairs hold territories during the breeding season and nest in banks, root tangles, or cavities close to streams, building a mossy cup. The male sings from shaded perches; both sexes are secretive and often flick the tail when foraging.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
A rich, whistled series of clear, mellow notes delivered at measured pace, often repeated. Calls include thin tseet notes and sharper ticks given from cover, especially when alarmed.
Plumage
Male is glossy dark blue to blackish with bold white outer tail panels; female is warm brown with subtler tail white and faint mottling on the throat and breast. Both sexes have fairly plain upperparts and a contrastingly patterned tail that is conspicuous in flight. Feathers are sleek and non-ornamental, aiding in silent movement through dense understory.
Diet
Primarily takes insects and other small arthropods such as beetles, moths, spiders, and caterpillars. It occasionally consumes small snails and supplements its diet with berries or other soft fruits when available. Foraging involves gleaning from leaf litter, probing mossy logs, and short sallies to the ground or low foliage.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dark, humid forest understory, especially along shaded streambeds, ravines, and bamboo tangles. Often works among leaf litter and fallen branches where prey is abundant and cover is dense.
