Himalayan Flycatchers
Verditer & Ultramarine Flycatcher
Naukuchiatal hosts several gorgeous flycatcher species in summer. The Verditer Flycatcher is a uniform bright copper-blue, while the Ultramarine Flycatcher is deep blue above and pure white below.
Species Ecological Profile
Sourced from high-confidence eBird and regional field surveys
Open temperate oak and mixed coniferous forests, forest edges, orchards, and wooded lakeside gardens. Prefers exposed branches in the upper canopy to hunt from.
Exclusively insectivorous. Feeds on flying gnats, moths, midges, and winged ants, captured through swift, incredibly agile aerial loops (sallying) from prominent lookout twigs.
Highly migratory summer visitors. Arrive in the Naukuchiatal hills in March to breed, and migrate back to the tropical woodlands of southern and central India in August.
April to July. Nests in natural tree cavities, old holes in stone walls, or mossy banks, building a soft cup made of green moss, rootlets, and animal hair.
A highlight of summer in Naukuchiatal. Observed regularly near the lake edges, sallying for insects over the water or calling from resort garden trees.
Photographic Log
Visual field records captured in Naukuchiatal (Click to enlarge)
