Wildlifeof India
Rufous-bellied Niltava
Thrushes, Chats & Flycatchers
Photo: (c) Rejoice Gassah, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Niltava sundara
Basic stats
Diet
Small invertebrates and larvae, especially ants and beetles, with occasional fruit
Habitat
Forest; perches quietly in undergrowth and darts out or drops to the ground for prey
Range
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam
Size
15–18cm
Weight
19–24g
The rufous-bellied niltava is a large, stocky, brightly coloured flycatcher with a rounded head, a fairly short tail and a broad-based bill, 15–18 cm long and 19–24 g. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam (Wikipedia, general species account).
Its diet mainly consists of small invertebrates and larvae, especially ants and beetles, with occasional fruit. It feeds by perching quietly in the undergrowth and darting out or dropping to the ground to catch prey, tends to feed solitarily or in pairs, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks, and is more solitary in winter. SoIB 2023 rates it a Low conservation priority, a resident and altitudinal migrant forest bird with a Moderate range of about 110,000 km² and stable trends (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).
Quick answers
- What does the Rufous-bellied Niltava eat?
- Small invertebrates and larvae, especially ants and beetles, with occasional fruit
- What habitat does the Rufous-bellied Niltava live in?
- Forest; perches quietly in undergrowth and darts out or drops to the ground for prey
- Where is the Rufous-bellied Niltava found?
- Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam
- How big is the Rufous-bellied Niltava?
- 15–18cm
- How much does the Rufous-bellied Niltava weigh?
- 19–24g