Rufous-vented Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone rufocinerea Scientific name definitions

18 cm (excluding male’s elongated central rectrices, which may project 1–11 cm beyond others); female 15·4 g. Male has glossy blue-black head with very slight crest; upperparts and tail chestnut-rufous (sometimes orange-rufous); underparts dark greyish-blue, vent and undertail-coverts rufous; iris dark brown, rim of eyelid blue; bill bright blue, mouth greenish-yellow; legs blue. Distinguished from very similar (but very variable) T. viridis usually by rufous undertail-coverts. Female is like male but duller, glossy blue-black of head restricted to forehead to nape, crest shorter, upperparts less bright, more cinnamon-rufous than chestnut-rufous, central tail feathers little longer than next pair, underparts paler, particularly belly, which is washed rusty. Immature is like female but duller, top of head less glossy, upperwing-coverts brown-black, edged rufous-brown, bill blacker (less blue); juvenile like immature but with much paler underparts, browner head, rufous parts of plumage browner, bill brown-black, legs greyer (less blue).

SW Cameroon S to W Gabon, S Congo, SW DRCongo and NW Angola.

Insects, e.g. moths (Lepidoptera), grasshoppers (Orthoptera), cicadas (Cica­didae), beetles (Coleoptera), and winged ants (Hymenoptera) and termites (Isoptera). Solitary or in pairs; frequently joins mixed-species flocks. Forages among foliage in all levels of vegetation, but mainly at low and medium levels. Sallies to catch dislodged or passing insects in rapid looping flight; gleans leaves while in upright posture, with frequent hops from twig to twig, snatching prey from under leaves or in short sally or hover; occasionally searches leaves while holding body horizontal, tail partly open and fanned and wings drooped, swooping down to snap up dislodged prey. Regularly exploits swarms of flying ants and termites.

Territorial song  a cheerful, mellow “thulululululu” or more sibilant “thui-huit-tui-hui-hui-huit-huit-huit”; harsh, rasping “zwhee-zwhay” calls.