Taiga Flycatcher

Migratory Birds (Species-1)

This was the first bird I started my lockdown-bird-photography with in 2020. Initially I thought it was a common tailor-bird that was flying around our mango tree and trying to catch those little insects. Similar size of these two birds was the obvious reason for this confusion. But as I started following my neighbor tailor-bird more closely and took several photographs of it, I was feeling doubtful about this bird’s identity! So I went back to search for these photos and the difference was clear. With the help of members of some Facebook bird-related groups, I could identify it. It was a Taiga Flycatcher, a resident of taiga forest (thus the name) in northern Eurasia! They are winter migrators to our city and I was told that they extended their ‘visa’ this year as they found pleasanter weather thanks to this lockdown! I was immensely happy to capture this seasonal guest and also understood why I saw that bird only for a day! I just prayed silently, please visit us next year.

Flycatcher, Taiga Flycatcher — My first capture of a female Taiga Flycatcher, from Taiga forest in Eurasia, in the mango tree of my garden

And my prayer was heard when I started to find them again in Kolkata’s birding hotspots like Rabindra Sarobar Lake, Rajarhat wetlands or Chetla Forest from October onwards.

Bengali Name

Bengali name is not available for this migratory species. In some places these flycatchers are called ‘চুটকি’.

Residency Status

As its name suggests this species is migratory to the state of West Bengal from Taiga forest of Russia (Siberia) and Mongolia.

General Behavior:

Very fast in their movement, always hoping around from one branch to the other. Compared to other flycatchers that I know of, it is difficult to photograph.
Their ‘GPS’ system is quite strong! They are winter visitor to our city from Russian Taiga forest, a considerably distant place from Kolkata, for me at least! But they usually return to the same locality (even almost to the same tree) after returning to their breeding place each year! That is quite amazingly extraordinary!
Adult male develops a red patch around their throat in breeding plumage.
I guess, they prefer big trees like mango, jackfruit, siris etc. rather than bush like habitats.
Have a very distinctive rattling call, something like ‘trr-r-r-r-r-r’ and sometimes a shorter version of that.
During their call, they tail bounces of up and down simultaneously

Places where I have found them

Rabindra Sarobar lake is one of the place where Taiga flycatchers are found most abundantly in winter. I’ve also spotted them in Rajarhat wetlands and Chetla forest.