Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
White-crowned Forktail
Enicurus leschenaulti
White-crowned Forktail (Enicurus leschenaulti) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-crowned Forktail (Enicurus leschenaulti) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 33.8 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 Enicurus
- Species leschenaulti
Where it lives
Northeastern India through southeastern Asia to Borneo, Java and Bali
Quick facts
- Weight
- 33.8 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-crowned 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 White-crowned Forktail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-crowned Forktail (Enicurus leschenaulti) 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 ne India through se Asia to Borneo, Java and Bali.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 33.8 g, with a wing length of about 9.4 cm and a tail of around 9.7 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 6.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-crowned Forktail?
The White-crowned Forktail is a small bird that weighs around 33.8 g.
Where does the White-crowned Forktail live?
The White-crowned Forktail is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR ne India through se Asia to Borneo, Java and Bali, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the White-crowned Forktail belong to?
The White-crowned Forktail (Enicurus leschenaulti) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-crowned Forktail eat?
The White-crowned Forktail hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the White-crowned Forktail migrate?
The White-crowned Forktail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-crowned 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 White-crowned Forktail make?
1 real field recording of the White-crowned 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 White-crowned Forktail's range?
The White-crowned Forktail has a mapped global range of about 6.2 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
Least Concern
Vulnerable
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Near Threatened
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.