Photo: Tareq Uddin Ahmed from chittagon, Bangladesh / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-backed Forktail
Enicurus immaculatus
Black-backed Forktail (Enicurus immaculatus) — 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 Black-backed Forktail (Enicurus immaculatus) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 25.5 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 Enicurus
- Species immaculatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 25.5 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-backed Forktail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of rivers and riverside habitats, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Black-backed Forktail is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Black-backed Forktail (Enicurus immaculatus) 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 Himalayas to nw Thailand.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 25.5 g, with a wing length of about 9 cm and a tail of around 11.4 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 921,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-backed Forktail?
The Black-backed Forktail is a small bird that weighs around 25.5 g.
Where does the Black-backed Forktail live?
The Black-backed Forktail is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Himalayas to nw Thailand, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Black-backed Forktail belong to?
The Black-backed Forktail (Enicurus immaculatus) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-backed Forktail eat?
The Black-backed Forktail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Black-backed Forktail migrate?
The Black-backed Forktail is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Black-backed Forktail endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Black-backed Forktail's range?
The Black-backed Forktail has a mapped global range of about 921,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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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.