Nilgiri Blue Robin

The Nilgiri blue robin, also known as the Nilgiri shortwing, white-bellied shortwing, Nilgiri sholakili or rufous-bellied shortwing, is endemic to the shola forests of the higher hills of southern India, mainly north of the Palghat Gap, found only above 1,200 m. This small chat-like bird is long-legged and chunky, with a short tail and wings, and lives on the forest floor and in the undergrowth of dense forest patches sheltered in valleys of montane grassland, a restricted and threatened habitat. The white-bellied blue robin was formerly considered conspecific and the two were split in 2005 (Wikipedia, general species account).

The two species differ in plumage, though both may show slight sexual dimorphism. A 2017 molecular study found the two south Indian species form a sister group to the clade containing Eumyias, Niltava and Cyornis. They call frequently with tit-like notes and harsh rattles, and the song is said to be a series of shrill whistles and twangy buzzing sounds, with geographically isolated populations varying. Two eggs are laid in a breeding season of April to June, after the rains, and both parents share incubation and feeding. SoIB 2023 treats it as a Western Ghats endemic and rates it a High conservation priority, with a Restricted range of about 8,630 km² and an inconclusive long-term trend of about +73% (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).