The sightings of Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis tickelliae Blyth) become very common in the MSSBG and surroundings for the last couple of months. This bird locally called Neela Kuruvi (Malayalam) is a small passerine/perching bird in the flycatcher family. It is an insectivorous species endemic to Indian subcontinent eastwards to Bangladesh and Western Myanmar. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural resources (IUCN) red-listed this Con-specific species and categorized as Least Concern (LC) (BirdLife International, 2017).
Tickell’s blue flycatcher is a medium-sized (11–12 cm long) flycatcher with blue upperparts and white underneath, with orange-red throat and breast. Tickell’s blue flycatcher breeds in dry forest, scrub, bamboo and gardens and favours open hill forests as well as forest edge, often close to water. Usually, the breeding season is April to August (March to June in Sri Lanka) and it nests in tree holes or lawny rocks and lay 3–5 eggs. It gives a lovely high-pitched tinkling ‘songs’ consists of short clicks followed by five or six notes and ‘calls’ include dry and metallic jangles and jingles. They eat insects like termites and earwigs from the ground and also catch flying insects. They also eat preys like small vertebrates during their breeding season.
Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher is abundant in MSSBG. The attractive feather pigments combination and its stylish air feeding give immense bliss for the sightseers and bird watchers.
Citation: Bird Life International. 2017. Cyornis tickelliae (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T103761678A111162678. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T103761678A111162678.en.
Information and Photography: Mr. Jithin. M. M., Final Approval: Dr. N. Anil Kumar