Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Himalayan Bluetail
Tarsiger rufilatus
Himalayan Bluetail (Tarsiger rufilatus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Himalayan Bluetail (Tarsiger rufilatus) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 12.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Tarsiger
- Species rufilatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Himalayan Bluetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Himalayan Bluetail is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Himalayan Bluetail (Tarsiger rufilatus) is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR w Himalayas to c China.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.8 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Himalayan Bluetail?
The Himalayan Bluetail is a very small bird that weighs around 12.8 g.
Where does the Himalayan Bluetail live?
The Himalayan Bluetail is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR w Himalayas to c China, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Himalayan Bluetail belong to?
The Himalayan Bluetail (Tarsiger rufilatus) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Himalayan Bluetail eat?
The Himalayan Bluetail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Himalayan Bluetail migrate?
The Himalayan Bluetail is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Himalayan Bluetail endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Himalayan Bluetail make?
1 real field recording of the Himalayan Bluetail — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Himalayan Bluetail's range?
The Himalayan Bluetail has a mapped global range of about 1.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Muscicapidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.