Little Forktail
Enicurus scouleri
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyMuscicapidae (Old World Flycatchers, Robins, and Chats)
- GenusEnicurus (Forktails)
- SpeciesEnicurus scouleri (Little Forktail)
About the Little Forktail
The little forktail (Enicurus scouleri) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. The specific name commemorates Dr. John Scouler of Glasgow. The sexes are alike, with black and white plumage. Black above, with white forehead; white band in wings extends across lower back, small, black rump patch; slightly forked, short tail with white in outer feathers; black throat, white below.
The little forktail is a bird of mountain streams, waterfalls and small shaded forest puddles; breeding between 1200-3700m. It is found in the Tian Shan and Himalayan mountain ranges, southern China and Taiwan. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
They are either solitary or found in pairs. They forage energetically on moss-covered and wet slippery rocks. Their diet consists primarily of aquatic insects, and they plunge underwater to pursue prey. It constantly wags and flicks its tail, occasionally launching short sallies. They are generally silent, save for a rarely uttered sharp 'TZitTzit' call. Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Little Forktail in Langtang National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Langtang National Park
Spotted Forktail
Enicurus maculatus
Black-backed Forktail
Enicurus immaculatus
Blue Whistling-Thrush
Myophonus caeruleus
Blue-fronted Redstart
Phoenicurus frontalis
Grey Bushchat
Saxicola ferreus
Plumbeous Water Redstart
Phoenicurus fuliginosus
White-capped Redstart
Chaimarrornis leucocephalus
Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher
Ficedula strophiata
Himalayan Bluetail
Tarsiger rufilatus
Verditer Flycatcher
Eumyias thalassinus
Rufous-bellied Niltava
Niltava sundara
Golden Bush-Robin
Tarsiger chrysaeus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Namdapha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Khangchendzonga National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Langtang National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 4 | Royal Manas National Park | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | |
| 5 | Taroko National Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 6 | Jim Corbett National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 7 | Jiuzhaigou National Park | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 8 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Little Forktail in Langtang National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Little Forktail sighting in Langtang National Park, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Little Forktail in Langtang National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Little Forktail in Langtang National Park in our monthly data.