Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Indian Blue Robin (Larvivora brunnea), male
Indian Blue Robin, Male

Indian Blue Robin

Larvivora brunnea

The Indian blue robin (Larvivora brunnea) is a diminutive avian species, once thought to be a thrush but now classified among the Old World flycatchers of the family Muscicapidae. The male boasts a striking plumage with blue upperparts and rufous underparts, set off by a bright white supercilium and a contrasting black mask that extends down the neck. The female, more subdued in coloration, is olive brown above with a buff underside and a light eye-ring, while the young are cloaked in dark brown with buff spots.

Identification Tips

Adult males are identifiable by their blue upperparts, rufous underparts, and distinctive white supercilium and black mask. Females and juveniles are more cryptically colored, with females presenting an olive brown and buff palette and juveniles featuring a dark brown with buff spots.

Habitat

This species favors dense, dark forests with rich undergrowth and leaf litter, which provide ample cover and foraging opportunities.

Distribution

The Indian blue robin breeds in the Himalayan forests stretching from Eastern Afghanistan through Nepal, India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. The subspecies wickhami is found in the Chin Hills of western Myanmar and is noted for its non-migratory behavior.

Behaviour

Insectivorous by nature, the Indian blue robin forages primarily on the ground, often seen skulking in the underbrush or hopping about while flicking its tail. They are migratory, with a breeding season from May to July, and exhibit a southward migration beginning in August. They are known to winter in the hill forests of the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka.

Song & Calls

The Indian blue robin is vocal in its wintering grounds, delivering a song composed of sharp whistles culminating in a rapid series of notes. They also emit a sharp, low clicking sound as an alarm call.

Breeding

The breeding season spans from May to July. The nest, a substantial cup of vegetation, is nestled on the ground between tree roots or in a depression, lined with roots, hair, and down. The female typically lays a clutch of 4 light blue eggs and is believed to be the sole incubator, though both parents contribute to feeding the young.

Similar Species

The Indian blue robin may be confused with the related bluethroat, which is similar in size but can be distinguished by its unique coloration and habitat preferences.

Diet and Feeding

This species is primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of ground-dwelling insects which it hunts in its undergrowth habitat.

Conservation status

The Indian blue robin is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating a stable population without significant immediate threats to its survival.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Indian Blue Robins on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Andrew Goodall
Andrew Goodall
22 Jan 2024 - 10:32am
Sri Lanka

More Chats, Old World Flycatchers

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Abi.M
Awesome App
I really enjoy using this app! It is such a friendly community of bird-lovers who are happy to help if I need ID advice. It’s been great motivation to get outdoors and go birding more! 10/10 😍😍
Sacha0508
Simply fantastic
I love this app, it puts so much fun into recording the birds I’ve seen and heard while I’m out and about. The interface is user-friendly and suitable for all ages. It’s great to collect badges and to review my “lists”.
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
Tralisalandhoop
Fantastic app - Love it!
Love this app and have used it almost daily. Lots of species information and easy to use. Love seeing birds spotted by other users in the UK and worldwide.
Nicole
Gets me outdoors more
I'm still loving this app. I use it most days & gets me outdoors more. Enjoying watching others progress and photo's, it's improved my wellbeing.... I love this app! I can keep a record of sightings and see what others have seen too.
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
Birdafan
Ideal Birdwatch Companion
Simply adds to the enjoyment of my birdwatching and helps me record what I’ve seen.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.