Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus Scientific name definitions

17·5–20·5 cm; 18 g. Male nominate race has head and upperparts to upper back black, glossed blue, lower back to uppertail-coverts scarlet; upperwing glossy black, greater coverts largely all scarlet, secondaries and tertials black, innermost 2–3 secondaries/outer tertials margined scarlet, inner primaries (P1-P7) with scarlet band across bases, longer on outer feathers, outermost primary edged pink-white; tertials narrowly edged whitish when fresh; tail relatively long, central two pairs of rectrices black, R2 with narrow red edge, outer four largely scarlet; upper throat dull black, lower throat and breast to undertail-coverts scarlet; underwing-coverts orange-chrome; iris dark brown; bill, legs and feet black. Distinguished with difficulty from other red-and-black minivets mainly by slim build, relatively long tail, distinctive pattern of wing patch, with second red line (along secondary/tertial edges); from P. flammeus by lack of red spot near tip of inner secondaries and tertials. Female has narrow yellowish band on forehead and above dusky lores, narrow white eyering, whitish cheeks, pale grey ear-coverts; greyish-olive upperparts, greyer on crown, with lower back to uppertail-coverts yellowish olive-green; red in wings replaced by yellow, but no yellow edges of tertials; red in tail replaced by yellow, with less colour on R2; chin and upper throat whitish, lower throat pale yellow, underparts yellow with faint olive wash. Juvenile is like female, but upperparts scaled yellowish, upperwing-coverts tipped yellowish-white, chin to lower breast whitish, throat side, breast and flanks spotted and barred grey-brown; immature like female, but male darker on upperparts and more orange on areas that are yellow in female, lacks coloured secondary/tertial edges. Races differ mainly in plumage of female: yvettae has greyer crown to mantle than nominate, with yellower forehead; annamensis is similar to previous, but yellow in plumage deeper and brighter, with orange tinge; mariae differs from last in having less of an orange tinge in yellow areas, male has larger wing patch; ripponi is intermediate between previous and nominate; <em>favillaceus</em> has cold grey upperparts and paler, lemon-yellow, underparts; laetus has more extensive and brighter yellow on upperparts, and orange tinge in yellow underparts.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Eats chiefly insects, including orthopterans, hymenopterans, beetles (Coleoptera), flies (Diptera) and insect larvae, also spiders (Araneae); also takes buds of acacias (Acacia) and fruits. Forages chiefly in canopy; gleans, makes aerial sallies, and hovers in front of flowers. May form large flocks outside breeding season.

A sweet, rolling repeated “prrr’wi” and “prrr’í”; thin, sibilant “swii-swii swii-swii-swii”.

Not globally threatened. Common in Pakistan, N India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam (Annam); common in China. Uncommon to locally common non-breeding visitor in Myanmar, Thailand and E Tonkin, but scarce and local in Bangladesh. Status in Laos and W Tonkin unclear. Occurs in a number of protected areas.