Tarsiger cyanurus
The Red-flanked Bluetail, *Tarsiger cyanurus*, is a captivating small passerine of the family Muscicapidae (Old World flycatchers and chats), renowned for its striking plumage and shy demeanor. Measuring approximately 13-15 cm in length with a weight of 10-18 grams, the adult male boasts brilliant azure-blue upperparts, a stark white throat and belly, and prominent rusty-orange flanks, often accentuated by a bright white supercilium. Females present a more subdued olive-brown back, but share ...
Typically found in dense coniferous, mixed, or broadleaf deciduous forests, often at higher elevations or near clearings with dense undergrowth. They favor areas with damp ground, moss, and tangled roots.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on beetles, ants, flies, spiders, and caterpillars. In autumn and winter, their diet supplements with small berries and seeds.
Red-flanked Bluetails are diurnal and notoriously shy, often remaining hidden within the dense understory. They forage actively, primarily by gleaning insects from foliage or the ground, but also make short flycatching sallies. Males establish and defend territories with their melancholic yet bea...
The Red-flanked Bluetail has a vast breeding range across the northern Palearctic, stretching from northeastern Europe (e.g., Scandinavia, Baltic states) through Siberia, the Russian Far East, Mongolia, northeastern China, Korea, and Japan. Breeding populations are typically found in dense conife...
Least Concern
- The brilliant blue plumage of the male Red-flanked Bluetail is a structural color, created by the microscopic structure of the feathers, rather than pigments. - They are famous for their remarkable vagrancy, with individuals regularly appearing thousands of miles from their breeding grounds, no...