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African paradise flycatcher

January 01, 1970

The African paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone viridis) is a medium-sized passerine bird. The two central tail feathers of the male are extended into streamers that commonly are more than twice as long as the body. The female tail feathers are of moderate length and without streamers. The upper parts of the male body, wings, and tail are boldly coloured in chestnut or rusty shades, but the underparts and the head are variably grey to blue-gray, with the head of the mature male being darker, commonly glossy black with greenish highlights. The beak and other bare areas, including a wattle ring round the eye, match the colour of the surrounding feathers. The female coloration is similar, though not so showy and glossy and with the head paler.

African paradise flycatcher
Males, brown and white morphs
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Monarchidae
Genus: Terpsiphone
Species:
T. viridis
Binomial name
Terpsiphone viridis
(Müller, 1776)
Subspecies

See text

Synonyms
  • Muscicapa viridis
  • Terpsiphone granti
  • Terpsiphone perspicillata
  • Terpsiphone poliothorax
  • Terpsiphone suahelica

The African paradise flycatcher feeds mainly on insects. It builds a neat cup nest in which it lays a clutch, usually of two or three eggs. It generally inhabits open forest and savanna, and is a locally common resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed it as being of "least concern".

Taxonomy and systematics edit

The African paradise flycatcher was originally described in the genus Muscicapa. Alternate names include the grey-headed paradise flycatcher, red-winged paradise-flycatcher and Southern paradise-flycatcher.

Subspecies edit

Ten subspecies are recognized:[2]

  • T. v. harterti - (Meinertzhagen, R, 1923): Found on southern Arabian Peninsula
  • T. v. viridis - (Müller, 1776): Found from Senegal and Gambia to Sierra Leone
  • T. v. speciosa - (Cassin, 1859): Originally described as a separate species. Found from southern Cameroon to south-western Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and north-eastern Angola
  • Abyssinian paradise-flycatcher (T. v. ferreti) - (Guérin-Méneville, 1843): Originally described as a separate species. Found from Mali and the Ivory Coast to Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania
  • T. v. restricta - (Salomonsen, 1933): Found in southern Uganda
  • T. v. kivuensis - (Salomonsen, 1949): Found from south-western Uganda to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and north-western Tanzania
  • Swaheli paradise-flycatcher (T. v. suahelica) - Reichenow, 1898: Formerly classified as a separate species by some authorities. Found in western Kenya and northern Tanzania
  • T. v. ungujaensis - (Grant, CHB & Mackworth-Praed, 1947): Found in eastern Tanzania and nearby islands
  • T. v. plumbeiceps - Reichenow, 1898: Originally described as a separate species. Found from Angola to south-western Tanzania, Mozambique and northern South Africa
  • T. v. granti - (Roberts, 1948): Originally described as a separate species. Found in eastern and southern South Africa

Description edit

The adult male African paradise flycatcher is about 17 cm (6.7 in) long, but the very long tail streamers double this. It has a black head, neck and underparts, and chestnut wings and tail. There is a prominent white wingbar. The female has a browner tint to the underparts and lacks the wingbar and tail streamers. Young birds are similar to the female but duller.

The males show considerable variation in plumage in some areas. There is a morph of this species in which the male has the chestnut parts of the plumage replaced by white, and some races have black tail streamers.

This species readily hybridizes with the genetically similar Rufous-vented paradise flycatcher.[3] The red-bellied paradise flycatcher is also closely related to this species, and hybrids occur with the underparts a mixture of black and red.

Distribution and habitat edit

The African paradise flycatcher is found in most parts of Africa south of the Sahara Desert and also the Arabian Peninsula. Its typical habitat is savannah woodland, open grassland with isolated trees, plantations, open woodland and scrubland.[4]

Behaviour edit

The African paradise flycatcher is a noisy bird with a harsh scolding call. It has short legs and sits very upright whilst perched prominently, like a shrike. It is insectivorous, often hunting by catching flies on the wing, and eating eggs, larvae and adults. It also feeds on spiders and sometimes consumes berries. The cup-shaped nest is built in a tree and a clutch of two or three eggs are laid.[4]

References edit

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Terpsiphone viridis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22707108A94107090. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22707108A94107090.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ "IOC World Bird List 6.4". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.6.4.
  3. ^ McCarthy, Eugene M. (2006). Handbook of Avian Hybrids of the World. Oxford University Press. p. 243. ISBN 0198040415.
  4. ^ a b Moeliker, K. (2016). "African Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone viridis)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Retrieved 7 January 2016.

External links edit

  • African paradise flycatcher videos, photos & sounds on the Internet Bird Collection
  • African paradise flycatcher - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.

January 01, 1970
african, paradise, flycatcher, terpsiphone, viridis, medium, sized, passerine, bird, central, tail, feathers, male, extended, into, streamers, that, commonly, more, than, twice, long, body, female, tail, feathers, moderate, length, without, streamers, upper, p. The African paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis is a medium sized passerine bird The two central tail feathers of the male are extended into streamers that commonly are more than twice as long as the body The female tail feathers are of moderate length and without streamers The upper parts of the male body wings and tail are boldly coloured in chestnut or rusty shades but the underparts and the head are variably grey to blue gray with the head of the mature male being darker commonly glossy black with greenish highlights The beak and other bare areas including a wattle ring round the eye match the colour of the surrounding feathers The female coloration is similar though not so showy and glossy and with the head paler African paradise flycatcher Males brown and white morphs Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Passeriformes Family Monarchidae Genus Terpsiphone Species T viridis Binomial name Terpsiphone viridis Muller 1776 Subspecies See text Synonyms Muscicapa viridisTerpsiphone grantiTerpsiphone perspicillataTerpsiphone poliothoraxTerpsiphone suahelica The African paradise flycatcher feeds mainly on insects It builds a neat cup nest in which it lays a clutch usually of two or three eggs It generally inhabits open forest and savanna and is a locally common resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed it as being of least concern Contents 1 Taxonomy and systematics 1 1 Subspecies 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Behaviour 5 References 6 External linksTaxonomy and systematics editThe African paradise flycatcher was originally described in the genus Muscicapa Alternate names include the grey headed paradise flycatcher red winged paradise flycatcher and Southern paradise flycatcher Subspecies edit Ten subspecies are recognized 2 T v harterti Meinertzhagen R 1923 Found on southern Arabian Peninsula T v viridis Muller 1776 Found from Senegal and Gambia to Sierra Leone T v speciosa Cassin 1859 Originally described as a separate species Found from southern Cameroon to south western Sudan Democratic Republic of Congo and north eastern Angola Abyssinian paradise flycatcher T v ferreti Guerin Meneville 1843 Originally described as a separate species Found from Mali and the Ivory Coast to Somalia Kenya and Tanzania T v restricta Salomonsen 1933 Found in southern Uganda T v kivuensis Salomonsen 1949 Found from south western Uganda to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and north western Tanzania Swaheli paradise flycatcher T v suahelica Reichenow 1898 Formerly classified as a separate species by some authorities Found in western Kenya and northern Tanzania T v ungujaensis Grant CHB amp Mackworth Praed 1947 Found in eastern Tanzania and nearby islands T v plumbeiceps Reichenow 1898 Originally described as a separate species Found from Angola to south western Tanzania Mozambique and northern South Africa T v granti Roberts 1948 Originally described as a separate species Found in eastern and southern South AfricaDescription editThe adult male African paradise flycatcher is about 17 cm 6 7 in long but the very long tail streamers double this It has a black head neck and underparts and chestnut wings and tail There is a prominent white wingbar The female has a browner tint to the underparts and lacks the wingbar and tail streamers Young birds are similar to the female but duller The males show considerable variation in plumage in some areas There is a morph of this species in which the male has the chestnut parts of the plumage replaced by white and some races have black tail streamers This species readily hybridizes with the genetically similar Rufous vented paradise flycatcher 3 The red bellied paradise flycatcher is also closely related to this species and hybrids occur with the underparts a mixture of black and red nbsp With a butterfly catchMasai Mara nbsp female rufous morph Soysambu Conservancy Kenya nbsp female rufous morph Soysambu Conservancy Kenya source source African Paradise Flycatcher song recorded in Giants Castle Reserve KwaZulu Natal South AfricaDistribution and habitat editThe African paradise flycatcher is found in most parts of Africa south of the Sahara Desert and also the Arabian Peninsula Its typical habitat is savannah woodland open grassland with isolated trees plantations open woodland and scrubland 4 Behaviour editThe African paradise flycatcher is a noisy bird with a harsh scolding call It has short legs and sits very upright whilst perched prominently like a shrike It is insectivorous often hunting by catching flies on the wing and eating eggs larvae and adults It also feeds on spiders and sometimes consumes berries The cup shaped nest is built in a tree and a clutch of two or three eggs are laid 4 References edit BirdLife International 2016 Terpsiphone viridis IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T22707108A94107090 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T22707108A94107090 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 IOC World Bird List 6 4 IOC World Bird List Datasets doi 10 14344 ioc ml 6 4 McCarthy Eugene M 2006 Handbook of Avian Hybrids of the World Oxford University Press p 243 ISBN 0198040415 a b Moeliker K 2016 African Paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive Lynx Edicions Barcelona Retrieved 7 January 2016 Birds of The Gambia by Barlow Wacher and Disley ISBN 1 873403 32 1External links editAfrican paradise flycatcher videos photos amp sounds on the Internet Bird Collection African paradise flycatcher Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title African paradise flycatcher amp oldid 1201889457, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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