Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Himalayan Bluetail (Tarsiger rufilatus), male
Himalayan Bluetail, Male

Himalayan Bluetail

Tarsiger rufilatus

The Himalayan bluetail, known scientifically as Tarsiger rufilatus, is a small passerine bird with a striking appearance. The adult males boast an intense blue coloration, while females and juveniles are more subdued with a greyer hue. This species, once considered part of the thrush family, is now classified under the Old World flycatchers of the Muscicapidae family.

Identification Tips

To identify the Himalayan bluetail, look for the male's vivid blue tail and rump, which contrast with its orange flanks. Females and juveniles, though less colorful, share the same structural features and can be recognized by their greyer tones and similar size.

Habitat

During the breeding season, the Himalayan bluetail can be found in the bush layer of conifer and mixed conifer-oak forests, with a preference for areas with fir, Picea smithiana, or Pinus wallichiana/Cupressus torulosa. It favors altitudes between 3000–4400 meters and does not venture beyond the tree line.

Distribution

This species is an altitudinal migrant, breeding in the Himalayas and wintering at lower elevations of 1,500–2,500 meters. In winter, it is typically found in broadleaf evergreen forests, dense undergrowth, and thickets, as well as open woodlands.

Behaviour

The Himalayan bluetail is an insectivorous bird that is commonly seen along tracks and favors ridges and mountain tops. It is a short-distance migrant, moving vertically with the seasons between its breeding and wintering habitats.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List has classified the Himalayan bluetail as Least Concern, indicating that it is not currently facing a significant risk of extinction in the wild.

Please note that while the Himalayan bluetail is closely related to the red-flanked bluetail, it is distinguished by its migratory behavior and the more intense blue coloration in males. It was previously treated as a subspecies but is now recognized for its distinct characteristics.

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

Himalayan Bluetails on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Petra Kregelius-Schmidt
Petra Kregelius-Schmidt
14 May 2024 - 12:17pm
China

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
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
Viperray5
Loving it
I really enjoy being able to interact with other birders on this platform! This seems like a great way to meet other birders and find some new spots.
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
SuperOliviaGirl
Really great app
It’s easy to use and it’s fun to log the birds you notice on a walk or just in your garden. There’s a option to record the birds you see in a session which is really nice. Good excuse to stop for a while and just watch birds. I am also enjoying the information part where you can find out fact about birds from all over the world.
Paul F
Very good database
Highly recommend. It great that this app shows you male Vs female variations when posting. Very good database I'm really impressed.
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
Leonie
We've been waiting for an App like this
Excellent! We've been waiting for an app like this! Thank you! It would be nice if you could assign additional birds to sessions later!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.