Rufous-bellied Niltava is an insectivorous bird belonging to the family of old world flycatchers. It is distributed from India to south-east China, Vietnam and Thailand. The male Rufous-bellied Niltava is bright blue on the upperparts and bright rufous on the underparts with ultramarine blue on crown and nape and a patch of iridescent blue on the side of the neck. Female is drab brown with a white patch on the throat and a small iridescent blue patch on the side of the neck.
A bird of thick middle and lower understory of the jungles, the species is resident in the foothills of Himalayas where it is subjected to minor seasonal altitudinal movements. In Corbett Tiger Reserve, the species is resident, occurring in the upper reaches of the reserve throughout the year but some individuals come down to the lower elevations in winter. It is a winter visitor to Jim’s Jungle Retreat, where it can be seen from mid-October till mid-March.
Rufous-bellied Niltava at Jim’s Jungle Retreat
