Vivid niltava


The vivid niltava is a bird in the family Muscicapidae. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1864. It is found from the Himalayas to China and Taiwan. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The vivid niltava a medium-sized member of the Old World flycatcher family, has a deep purplish blue on the head, back, tail and lesser wing coverts, and bright rufous orange below. Its throat, face, wings and iris are black as are its legs and bill. The female is olive brown overall, lighter below, with a light buffy throat and greyish-brown crown and nape. As do many members of its family, the vivid niltava bears distinct rictal bristles at the base of its bill. The Taiwan subspecies, N. v. vivida, is distinctly smaller than the mainland race N. v. oatesi.