Asian Paradise Flycatcher

The Asian Paradise Flycatcher, also known as the universal Paradise Flycatcher, is a medium-sized passerine bird. It was until that time classified with the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae, but the paradise flycatchers, monarch flycatchers and Australasian fantails are now in general grouped with the drongos in the family Dicruridae, which has most of its members in Australasia and tropical southern Asia.

The Asian Paradise Flycatcher breeds from Turkistan to Manchuria. It is drifting, wintering in tropical Asia. There are resident populations further south, for example in southern India and Sri Lanka, so both visiting migrants and the close by breeding variety occurs in these areas in winter.

This species is typically found in thick forests and other well-wooded habitats. Three or four eggs are laid in a cup nest in a tree.

The adult male Asian Paradise Flycatcher is about 20 cm long, but the long tail decorations double this. It has a black crested head, chestnut upperparts and pale grey under parts.

The female of all races resembles the stale joke male, but has a grey throat, smaller crest and lacks the tail streamers.

The Asian Paradise Flycatcher is a noisy bird with a sharp sweet call. It has short legs and sits very upright whilst perched significantly, like a shrike. It is insectivorous, often hunting by fly catching.