Common Name: Small Niltava
Scientific Name: Niltava macgrigoriae
Family: Muscicapidae
Nepali Name: Saano Niltava ( सानो नीलतभा )
Size: 13 cm
Location: Godawari, Lalitpur, Nepal

The Small Niltava is a compact and colourful forest flycatcher found in the subtropical and temperate broadleaved forests of Nepal. Males are striking, with deep cobalt-blue upperparts, a brighter blue forehead and shoulders, a black face and throat, and a pale greyish-white belly. Females are much more subdued, displaying warm olive-brown upperparts, buff underparts, and a subtle bluish patch on the sides of the neck. Both sexes have a short black bill, dark eyes, and a relatively short tail.

This species usually inhabits dense, shady forests, often near streams and ravines, where it quietly searches for insects from low perches. In Nepal, it is typically found at elevations of around 900–2,600 metres, although it may descend to lower elevations during winter.

Please feel free to comment below if the above species has been misidentified.

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