Flying beauties of Himachal Pradesh

Among the many beautiful birds that grace the forests of Himachal Pradesh, few capture the imagination quite like the Asian Paradise Flycatcher ( Terpsiphone paradisi ) . With its graceful flight, glossy black head, striking blue eye-ring and, in adult males, spectacular ribbon-like white tail streamers, this bird truly lives up to its name. Although often seen only for a few fleeting moments as it darts through the forest canopy in pursuit of insects, every encounter with the Asian Paradise Flycatcher leaves a lasting impression. During the breeding season, its presence adds movement, colour and vitality to woodland habitats. The bird is called  Dudhraj  in Hindi due to milky white colour of its body. The long white tail of the bird looks even more beautiful when it flies in a wavy motion up and down, manoeuvring in the sky to catch insects.The long tail is used to impress the female and may be for balancing the body during frequent changes of direction in flight. ...