Black-backed Forktail

The black-backed forktail, occasionally called the black-throated forktail, is a monomorphic forktail with a broad white stripe across the forehead. The crown, face and mantle are black, sharply divided from the white underparts; the wings are largely black with a broad white stripe across the greater coverts, and the tail black with a white tip and three white bands made by shorter tail feathers. It is found across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand, its western end in Garhwal in the north-west of Uttarakhand; it is known as a winter visitor to Nameri National Park in Assam, uncommon west of Sikkim and common in Bhutan (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is solitary, occasionally in pairs or family groups. It breeds between March and June, both sexes building the nest of plant matter in holes or crevices in rocks and dead trees and incubating the usually three pinkish eggs. Its call is a short whistled tseep-dew or hurt-zeee, with a two-syllable call when disturbed and occasionally a short song. SoIB 2023 rates it a Low conservation priority, a resident forest bird with a Moderate range of about 81,600 km² and inconclusive trends (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).