Ficedula nigrorufa
The Black-and-orange Flycatcher (Ficedula nigrorufa) is a jewel of the Muscicapidae family, an Old World flycatcher celebrated for its stunning, contrasting plumage. Measuring approximately 12-13 cm in length and weighing a mere 9-12 grams, males boast a striking black head, back, and wings, sharply contrasted by a vibrant rufous-orange throat, breast, and belly. Females are similarly patterned but exhibit duller, more brownish-black upperparts and a paler, more subdued orange on their underp...
This species primarily inhabits the understory of dense, moist evergreen and montane deciduous forests, typically found at elevations ranging from 900 to 2,000 meters above sea level. It prefers areas with thick shrubbery and leaf litter.
Primarily insectivorous, their diet consists largely of small insects such as beetles, ants, flies, and caterpillars, supplemented occasionally with spiders. They primarily use sallying and gleaning techniques to capture prey.
Often shy and skulking, the Black-and-orange Flycatcher typically forages in the lower strata of the forest, darting out from perches to snatch insects in typical flycatcher fashion (sallying), or gleaning them from foliage and the forest floor. They are largely solitary or observed in pairs, mai...
The Black-and-orange Flycatcher is endemic to the high-elevation montane forests of Southern India and Sri Lanka. In India, its breeding and resident range is restricted to the Western Ghats, specifically found in the Nilgiri Hills, Palni Hills, Anamalai Hills, Brahmagiri Hills, Biligirirangan Hi...
Least Concern
- The Black-and-orange Flycatcher is an obligate resident of the biodiversity hotspots of the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, never venturing beyond these montane forest havens. - Despite its vivid plumage, it can be surprisingly difficult to spot in its dense, dark forest habitat, often giving away...