Indian Paradise-Flycatcher
Terpsiphone paradisi
Also known as: Asian Paradise-Flycatcher, Asiatic Paradise Flycatcher, South Asian Paradise-Flycatcher
About This Species
Breeding males are unmistakable, trailing long white ribbon-like tail streamers as they sally for insects in deciduous and mixed forest across South Asia, while females and young males lack the streamers and are duller. Some populations migrate seasonally within the region, so timing a visit to the local breeding season improves the chance of seeing a full-tailed male. Look for it making short flycatching sallies from a mid-level perch in forest with a reasonably open understorey.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Keep well back from any perch or nest site, since the long tail streamers make males more visible to predators and more sensitive to disturbance while breeding.
- Wildlife protection laws across its South Asian range differ by country, so it is worth checking local rules rather than relying on a single figure.
- Avoid using call playback near an active nest, since it can draw a defending male away from incubation or feeding duties.
Seasonal Activity
223,212 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Monarchidae
Photo
(c) Rohith Srinivasan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Rohith Srinivasan
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.