Pericrocotus ethologus
The Long-tailed Minivet, *Pericrocotus ethologus*, is a stunningly charismatic member of the Cuckooshrike family (Campephagidae), renowned for its vibrant plumage and elegant form. Males are strikingly adorned with a glossy black head, back, and wings, sharply contrasted by brilliant fiery orange-red underparts, rump, and prominent wing patches. Females, while also beautiful, display a more subdued palette of greyish-olive upperparts and bright yellow underparts, with yellow wing patches and ...
Primarily inhabits broadleaf and mixed temperate forests at higher elevations (1000-3000m) during breeding season, descending to subtropical evergreen and deciduous forests at lower altitudes in winter.
Primarily insectivorous, consuming a wide array of insects and their larvae, which they glean from foliage or catch in flight; occasionally supplements its diet with small fruits.
Long-tailed Minivets are highly active and gregarious birds, often observed in small, lively flocks or as part of larger mixed-species foraging parties, particularly outside the breeding season. They are diurnal, spending their days actively foraging in the forest canopy, rarely descending to the...
The Long-tailed Minivet boasts an extensive distribution across the Himalayas and Southeast Asia, primarily observed as an altitudinal migrant. Its breeding range stretches from the Himalayan foothills of northern Pakistan eastward through northern India, Nepal, Bhutan, and into northern Myanmar ...
Least Concern
- The name "Minivet" is thought to derive from the French word "mignette," meaning dainty or exquisite, a fitting description for these elegant birds. - Males are often called "firebirds" due to their striking fiery orange-red plumage, making them one of the most vividly colored birds in their ra...