Photo: SaniyaChaplod / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Small Niltava
Niltava macgrigoriae
Small Niltava (Niltava macgrigoriae) — 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 Small Niltava (Niltava macgrigoriae) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 11.9 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 Niltava
- Species macgrigoriae
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Small Niltava is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Small Niltava is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Small Niltava (Niltava macgrigoriae) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Himalayas to s China and Thailand.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.9 g, with a wing length of about 6.3 cm and a tail of around 5.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Small Niltava?
The Small Niltava is a very small bird that weighs around 11.9 g.
Where does the Small Niltava live?
The Small Niltava is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Himalayas to s China and Thailand, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Small Niltava belong to?
The Small Niltava (Niltava macgrigoriae) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Small Niltava eat?
The Small Niltava is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Small Niltava migrate?
The Small Niltava is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Small Niltava 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 Small Niltava make?
1 real field recording of the Small Niltava — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Small Niltava's range?
The Small Niltava 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.
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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.