![Little Forktail at Sikkim India](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Little_Forktail_at_Sikkim_India.jpg)
The little forktail (''Enicurus scouleri'') is a species of
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...
in the family
Muscicapidae
The Old World flycatchers are a large family, the Muscicapidae, of small passerine birds restricted to the Old World (Europe, Africa and Asia), with the exception of several vagrants and two species, Bluethroat (''Luscinia svecica)'' and Norther ...
. The specific name commemorates Dr
John Scouler
John Scouler (31 December 1804 – 13 November 1871) was a Scottish naturalist.
Life
Scouler, the son of a calico-printer, was born in Glasgow on 31 December 1804. He received the rudiments of his education at Kilbarchan, but was sent very earl ...
of Glasgow.
Description
The sexes are alike, with black and white plumage. Black above, with white forehead; white band in wings extends across lower back, small, black rump patch; slightly forked, short tail with white in outer feathers; black throat, white below.
Distribution and habitat
The little forktail is a bird of mountain streams, waterfalls and small shaded forest puddles; breeding between 1200-3700m. It is found in the
Tian Shan
The Tian Shan,, , otk, 𐰴𐰣 𐱅𐰭𐰼𐰃, , tr, Tanrı Dağı, mn, Тэнгэр уул, , ug, تەڭرىتاغ, , , kk, Тәңіртауы / Алатау, , , ky, Теңир-Тоо / Ала-Тоо, , , uz, Tyan-Shan / Tangritog‘ ...
and
Himalayan mountain ranges, southern
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
and
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
. Its natural
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s are
subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Description
TSMF is generally found in large, discont ...
and subtropical or tropical moist
montane forest
Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...
.
Behaviour
They are either solitary or are found in pairs. They forage energetically on moss-covered and wet slippery rocks. constantly wags and flicks tail, occasionally launches short sallies, but also plunges underwater, dipper- style to pursue prey. Their diet includes aquatic insects. They are generally silent save for a rarely uttered sharp 'TZitTzit' call.
References
little forktail
The little forktail (''Enicurus scouleri'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. The specific name commemorates Dr John Scouler of Glasgow.
Description
The sexes are alike, with black and white plumage. Black above, with white fore ...
Birds of Afghanistan
Birds of China
Birds of the Himalayas
Birds of Central Asia
Birds of Taiwan
little forktail
The little forktail (''Enicurus scouleri'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. The specific name commemorates Dr John Scouler of Glasgow.
Description
The sexes are alike, with black and white plumage. Black above, with white fore ...
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
{{Muscicapidae-stub