Himalayan Shortwing

The Himalayan shortwing (Brachypteryx cruralis) is a species of chat. This species is now classified in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in South-east Asia from the Himalayas to southern China, northwestern Thailand and northern Indochina. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is a shy skulker, preferring to be on or near the ground, in the depths of dark vegetation, where it feeds on small insects, larvae, berries, seeds, sprouts and new buds of plants. (Wikipedia, general species account).

The nest consists of moss and grass stems, placed in a dense shrub. Old World flycatchers typically watch from a perch, taking insects in short aerial sallies or gleaning prey from foliage and the ground. Many Asian species show strong differences between male and female plumage, while migrants may use different habitats seasonally. These are family-level ecological notes; the species account above remains the basis for identification and distribution (general Muscicapidae ecology).