| Spotted forktail | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Enicurus |
| Species: | E. maculatus |
| Binomial name | |
|
Enicurus maculatus Vigors, 1831 |
|
The spotted forktail (Enicurus maculatus) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae.
It is found in the Himalayas, Northeast India, Myanmar, Yunnan and southern China. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.Features: 25 cm with long tail. Sexes alike. White forehead, fore crown; black crown,nape;black back spotted white; broad, white wing-bar, rump; deeply forked, graduated black and white tail; black till breast, white below. The white spotted back easily identifies this species from other similar sized fork-tails in the Himalaya. Solitary or in scattered pairs; active bird, moving on mossy boulders at water's edge or in mid- stream; long, forked tail gracefully swayed, almost always kept horizontal; flies low over streams, calling; sometimes rests in shade of forest; commonly seen bird of the Himalaya. Food: aquatic insects, molluscs. Voice: shrill, screechy KREE call, mostly in flight; also some shrill,squeaky notes on perch. Range: the Himalaya; breeds mostly 1200-3600m; descends to about 600m in winter. Habitat: boulder- strewn torrents, forest streams, road side canals.