Terpsiphone rufocinerea
The Rufous-vented Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone rufocinerea) is a captivating medium-sized passerine, typically measuring 16-18 cm in length, though males can extend up to 22 cm with their elongated central tail feathers. Its striking appearance features a glossy black head, nape, and throat, which contrast sharply with a white chin and throat patch. The upperparts are generally dusky grey to slate-grey, transitioning to a distinctive rufous-chestnut vent and undertail-coverts, providing i...
Primarily inhabiting the understory and mid-story of lowland evergreen rainforests, gallery forests, and mature secondary woodlands, typically occurring at elevations up to 1,200 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of small to medium-sized insects such as flies, beetles, moths, and caterpillars, captured through aerial hawking or gleaning from vegetation.
The Rufous-vented Paradise Flycatcher is a diurnal species, often observed alone or in pairs, exhibiting active foraging throughout the day. It employs a classic "sally-glean" or "sally-strike" technique, darting from a perch to snatch flying insects in mid-air or gleaning them from foliage. Duri...
The Rufous-vented Paradise Flycatcher is endemic to West and Central Africa, maintaining a relatively wide but somewhat fragmented distribution across the Guinea-Congo forest biome. Its range extends from Sierra Leone and southeastern Guinea eastward through Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, B...
Least Concern
- The male Rufous-vented Paradise Flycatcher's elongated central tail feathers can nearly double its body length, making it a spectacular sight during courtship flights. - Despite its vivid appearance, its nest is often a masterclass in camouflage, meticulously woven with spider silk and covered ...