Terpsiphone viridis
The African Paradise Flycatcher, *Terpsiphone viridis*, is a captivating passerine of the family Monarchidae, renowned for the spectacular elongated tail streamers of the males. Typically measuring around 17 cm in body length, males can boast tail feathers extending an additional 20-30 cm, creating a breathtaking aerial display. Both sexes usually exhibit a striking rufous or chestnut body contrasting with a glossy, iridescent black or dark blue head and crest, and often white underparts. A n...
This adaptable species inhabits a variety of wooded environments, including open woodlands, savanna, riverine forests, acacia thickets, and suburban gardens, generally preferring lower to mid-elevations.
Predominantly insectivorous, the African Paradise Flycatcher feeds almost exclusively on a wide variety of flying insects, which it captures adeptly during aerial sallies or by gleaning from foliage.
African Paradise Flycatchers are diurnal birds, highly active during the day, often seen darting through the understory or making spectacular aerial sallies from exposed perches. Their primary foraging strategy involves acrobatic aerial hawking, where they launch rapid pursuits of flying insects,...
The African Paradise Flycatcher boasts a vast and dynamic distribution across Sub-Saharan Africa and extending into parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Its range spans from Senegal and The Gambia in West Africa, east to Ethiopia and Somalia, and south through the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola,...
Least Concern
- The male African Paradise Flycatcher's elongated tail streamers can be more than twice the length of its body! - They exhibit striking plumage polymorphism; males in Southern Africa can be either rufous (chestnut) or pure white, both with a glossy black head. - Their nests are often beautifully...