Photo: Mildeep / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Slaty-backed Forktail
Enicurus schistaceus
Slaty-backed Forktail (Enicurus schistaceus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Slaty-backed Forktail (Enicurus schistaceus) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 31 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 schistaceus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 31 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Slaty-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 Slaty-backed Forktail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Slaty-backed Forktail (Enicurus schistaceus) belongs to the Muscicapidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Himalayas through se Asia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 31 g, with a wing length of about 9 cm and a tail of around 12.1 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 2.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Slaty-backed Forktail?
The Slaty-backed Forktail is a small bird that weighs around 31 g.
Where does the Slaty-backed Forktail live?
The Slaty-backed Forktail is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Himalayas through se Asia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Slaty-backed Forktail belong to?
The Slaty-backed Forktail (Enicurus schistaceus) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Slaty-backed Forktail eat?
The Slaty-backed Forktail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Slaty-backed Forktail migrate?
The Slaty-backed Forktail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Slaty-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.
What sound does the Slaty-backed Forktail make?
1 real field recording of the Slaty-backed Forktail — 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 Slaty-backed Forktail's range?
The Slaty-backed Forktail has a mapped global range of about 2.4 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.
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Guides for this bird
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