Passeriformes / Monarchidae / Terpsiphone
Black Paradise Flycatcher
Terpsiphone atrocaudata · 紫寿带
Introduction
Medium-sized passerine in the family Dicruridae, native to southeastern Asia. Migratory species breeding in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and northern Philippines, wintering in Southeast Asia. Males possess exceptionally long tails.
Description
Slightly smaller than Amur or Blyth's paradise flycatchers. Mature males have a black hood with purplish-blue gloss shading to blackish-grey on the chest, off-white to white underparts, and plain dark chestnut mantle, back, wings, and rump. Tail features extremely long black central feathers, shorter in immature males. Females are duller with darker brown chestnut areas. Possesses black legs and feet, large black eye with blue eye-ring, and short blue bill. No white morph exists.
Identification
Similar to Amur and Blyth's paradise flycatchers but smaller. Distinguished by lack of white morph found in Asian paradise flycatcher. Male has extremely long central tail feathers. Song rendered as 'tsuki-hi-hoshi, hoi-hoi-hoi'.
Distribution & Habitat
Breeds in Japan, South Korea (including Jeju-do), Taiwan, and far north of Philippines. Subspecies T. a. atrocaudata breeds in central/southern Korea and Japan; T. a. illex breeds on Ryukyu Islands; T. a. periophthalmica found on Lanyu Island and Batan Island. Winters in China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Sumatra. Migrates through eastern China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Behavior & Ecology
Migratory. Breeding sites include Gotjawal Forest in South Korea. Subspecies T. a. illex is presumed resident.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Monarchidae
- Genus
- Terpsiphone
Vocalizations
Subspecies (3)
-
Terpsiphone atrocaudata atrocaudata
breeds South Korea and Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu); winters Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and western Java
Data Sources
CBR Notes: IUCN红色名录等级由NT降为LC
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.
