One of the most beautiful birds in India.
Hen and young cock: Like a bulbul in size and form. Rich chestnut plumage with metallic black crest and head; lower parts white. Bill bluish black. Legs slate-coloured.
Second year cock: Similar to above, except that the two median tail feathers are much longer than the others, being 16 inches in length.
Old cocks: The chestnut parts of the plumage turn white.
This bird undergoes a certain amount of local migration. It visits the Punjab in great numbers in summer for nesting purposes. The nest is like an inverted cone in shape, and is usually placed on one of the lower branches of a tree. The white cock shares the duties of incubation, and as he sits, his long white tail feathers hang down several inches beyond the bottom of the nest.
The bird frequently utters a sharp note something like the twitter of a sparrow. The cock has also a sweet little song.
In Burma this species is replaced by an allied species—the Burmese Paradise Flycatcher (T. affinis). (Illus. F. II., p. 1; also B. B., p. 76, and G. B. frontispiece.)
The Fantail Flycatchers, 58-60
These are blackish-brown birds, with a conspicuous white eyebrow. There are some white spots in the wing. The tail feathers are tipped with white, and as the bird continually spreads its tail into a fan the white is very conspicuous. The lower plumage is white. These birds have a striking and very cheery song of about six notes, which they utter constantly. They are easily recognised by their “tinkling” song and by the manner in which they continually fan the tail, drop the wings, and dance; or, to use Eha’s words, “waltz and pirouette among the lower branches of a shady mango tree.” Three species are common, and have similar manners and appearance. The nest is either a neat cup or an inverted cone, built largely of cobweb on one of the lower branches of a tree. When they have a nest these flycatchers are very bold. They will set upon and drive away birds much larger than themselves, and will even offer to attack an intruding human being. The three species are distinguished as follows:
[58]. Rhipidura albifrontata: The white-browed Fantail Flycatcher. (F. 604), (J. 292), (+I.)