Terpsiphone mutata
The Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher, *Terpsiphone mutata*, is a stunning passerine endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros Islands, celebrated for its striking sexual dimorphism and the male's extraordinarily long tail streamers. Males typically measure 18-20 cm in body length, but their central tail feathers can extend an additional 18-25 cm, creating a breathtaking display. They exhibit two distinct color morphs: a 'white morph' with a pure white body, deep blue-black head and crest, bright blue...
Found primarily in a wide range of forest types including tropical moist broadleaf, dry deciduous, and spiny forests, as well as woodlands, mangroves, and well-wooded gardens, from sea level up to 1,800 meters.
Feeds primarily on a variety of small to medium-sized flying insects such as butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, termites, and grasshoppers, captured predominantly through aerial flycatching from a perch.
A highly active diurnal species, the Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher is an expert aerial insectivore, typically perching upright on a branch to scan for prey. It employs a 'sallying' foraging technique, darting out to snatch insects in mid-air with remarkable agility, sometimes gleaning from foliage...
The Malagasy Paradise Flycatcher is entirely endemic to the islands of Madagascar and the Comoros archipelago, where it is a widespread resident. In Madagascar, it occupies a broad range of habitats from coastal lowlands to central highlands, encompassing eastern moist evergreen forests, western ...
Least Concern
- The male's incredibly long tail streamers can be nearly twice his body length, making him one of the most dramatically-tailed birds. - Unlike many birds, male Malagasy Paradise Flycatchers exhibit two distinct color morphs—white and rufous—that coexist in the same populations. - Their nests are...