Muscicapa ruficauda
Silhouette: Ekytza · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The rusty-tailed flycatcher (Ficedula ruficauda) is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found mainly in the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent and some parts of southwest India, as well as pockets of Central Asia including Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The species is partially migratory, with the Central Asian populations migrating to India, as far as the southwest Indian coast along the Arabian Sea, to Karnataka and Kerala.
Other populations, especially those across the lower Himalayas, remain in their native regions year-round and breed there. The species is also an occasional vagrant to other areas in India. The rusty-tailed flycatcher is 14 cm (5.5 in) in length and weighs 11–16 g (0.39–0.56 oz). The sexes have similar plumage.
In a molecular phylogenetic study of species in Muscicapa and related genera (tribe Muscicapini) published in 2016, Gary Voelker and colleagues found that the rusty-tailed flycatcher was basal to the other Muscicapini species and proposed that it be placed in its own monotypic genus Ripleyia. This name was found to be preoccupied and was replaced by Ripleyornis. A subsequent phylogenetic analysis that included species from both Ficedula and Muscicapa found that the rusty-tailed flycatcher formed part of a clade containing members of Ficedula. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Periyar National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Mudumalai National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Nagarhole National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Rusty-tailed Flycatcher sighting in Nagarhole National Park on a given day, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 237th most-seen of the 272 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Rusty-tailed Flycatcher in Nagarhole National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 4 and 7 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rusty-tailed Flycatcher sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
3rd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Rusty-tailed Flycatcher sightings, Nagarhole National Park ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Periyar National Park (India, about 10%) and Mudumalai National Park (India, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rusty-tailed Flycatcher is recorded against all the birds logged in Nagarhole National Park (17 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
