Birds
Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher
Terpsiphone mutata · also called madagascar paradise flycatchers
Trailing a tail several times the length of its own body, a breeding male Madagascar paradise flycatcher darts out from a perch to snatch an insect from the air, one of two strikingly different colour forms this species can show.
Overview
The Madagascar paradise flycatcher, Terpsiphone mutata, is a Least Concern bird widespread across forest habitat throughout much of Madagascar. Its two distinct male colour forms, dramatically elongated breeding tail, and acrobatic aerial insect-hunting style make it one of the more visually striking and behaviourally active songbirds on the island.
One species, two very different-looking males
Unlike most birds where males of a single species look consistent, the Madagascar paradise flycatcher produces males in two quite different colour forms, a puzzle of variation within one sex that researchers have yet to fully explain.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and common across suitable forest habitat throughout much of Madagascar.
Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher: common questions
Why do male Madagascar paradise flycatchers look so different from each other?
Males occur in two distinct colour forms, one rich chestnut and one largely black and white, a type of variation within a single sex that is relatively unusual among birds and not fully understood.
How long is the Madagascar paradise flycatcher's tail?
In breeding males, the central tail feathers grow extremely long, trailing several times the length of the bird's own body, a dramatic ornamental feature used in display.
How does the Madagascar paradise flycatcher catch its food?
It is an insectivore that frequently catches flying insects directly out of the air during short, acrobatic sallies launched from a perch, supplementing this by gleaning other insects from foliage.
What kind of nest does the Madagascar paradise flycatcher build?
It constructs a small, neat, cup-shaped nest bound together with spider silk, typically placed in the fork of a branch.