Passeriformes / Muscicapidae / Tarsiger
Himalayan Bluetail
Tarsiger rufilatus · 蓝眉林鸲
Introduction
A small passerine bird currently classified within the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae, formerly placed in Turdidae. It is a short-distance altitudinal migrant breeding in the Himalayas and wintering at lower elevations. The taxon is closely related to the red-flanked bluetail but differs in migratory behavior and plumage intensity.
Description
Adult males exhibit a more intense blue colour compared to the related red-flanked bluetail. Females and juveniles are greyer in appearance.
Distribution & Habitat
Breeds in the Himalayas at 3000–4400 m in the bush layer of conifer and mixed conifer-oak forests, including fir, Picea smithiana, Pinus wallichiana, and Cupressus torulosa habitats. Winters at 1,500–2,500 m in broadleaf evergreen forests, dense undergrowth, thickets, clearings, and open woodland.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Tarsiger
Subspecies (2)
-
Tarsiger rufilatus pallidior
breeds in the western Himalayas from northwestern Pakistan to about central Nepal; primarily resident (although moving to lower elevations in winter)
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.
