Red-tailed Vanga Calicalicus madagascariensis Scientific name definitions

13–14 cm; 14–18·6 g. A small vanga reminiscent of a tit (Paridae). Male has grey forehead to nape, black patch from base of bill extending backwards broadly around eye and with narrow white border above; upperparts grey, slightly tinged green, except for rufous rump and uppertail-coverts; upperwing green-grey, median and lesser upperwing-coverts rufous  , primaries blackish with grey fringes; tail rufous, inner webs of central feather pair grey-brown; white cheek and ear-coverts, contrasting black chin and throat; underparts whitish, side of chest and flanks washed light tan, thighs often washed rufous; underwing-coverts white; iris dark brown; bill black; legs grey. Female has forehead to nape duller grey, conspicuous off-white eyering, upperparts olive-brown, rump and uppertail-coverts brick-red, upperwing dark brown, tail feathers brick-red with dark brown inner webs; lower ear-coverts, cheek and side of neck buffy, throat whitish, broad buffy breastband, grading to whitish on belly ; bare parts as for male. Juvenile is similar to female, but has buff shaft streaks and tips on underpart feathers.

N, W & E Madagascar.

Small and medium-sized insects, including Orthoptera, beetles (Coleoptera), caterpillars; also small vertebrates, mainly chameleons (of genus Chamaeleo). Frequents all levels of forest; tends to move towards upper level , as it prefers small branches for foraging. Gleans prey from branches; in one study, more than 90% of foraging manoeuvres involved gleaning. Generally in pairs during breeding season, sometimes in small groups; often within mixed-species flocks that may include other vangas, but often also include such small forest passerines as Common Jery (Neomixis tenella), Stripe-throated Jery (Neomixis striatigula) and Sakalava Weaver (Ploceus sakalava), or such larger species as Madagascar Crested Drongo (Dicrurus forficatus) and Madagascar Cuckooshrike (Ceblepyris cinereus).

In N & E, male sings "per-whew" with falling intonation (sounding like a human wolf-whistle); in W, male typically sings "pew-poo-whee" or "oo-oo-whi", last syllable higher; also a different song heard in W (near Morondava) was transcribed as "plee-plee tick-che-weh". Calls  equally variable; both sexes utter wooden-sounding "tk-tk trrk" or "trrk tikatik", repeated many times, and male also gives hissing "kschrrr". Male calls often during foraging.