The male Asian Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi), especially the white morph, makes a spectacular picture when it is perching on a branch, with its extra-long, streamer like central tail feathers hanging down (above).
When the bird moves around and the streamers wriggle about, things get more exciting (video above, below)…
…what more when it is shaking its tail feathers following a bath to rid them of water droplets (video below).
When in flight, with its the tail feathers following behind, twirling and flicking up and down as if the paradise-flycatcher is performing a ribbon dance, this is a sight to behold (video below).
Lakshmi Ravishankar
Pune, India
6the October 2017
2 Responses
Well done Lakshmi in sharing these wonderful videos of this Flycatcher in all its glory in the natural world. Love the flight footages and shaking off water after a bath. The long tail streamers make it standout among the avian wonders of Asia. I was also surprised how unshy it was in the first video.
Thank you so much for your kind words! These birds are indeed magical! Thank you Mr. Wee for alerting me to this comment! Sorry for responding so late!