Fire-tailed-myzornis-male-with-busy-back-ground

The species is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is a common species in the upper ridges of the Sikkim and Arunachal Himalayas; mostly between 9,000 ft to 13,000 according to climatic conditions and seasonal variation. It prefers bamboo thickets, Rhododendron shrubs, birches, and junipers. The fire-tailed myzornis is a small species of warbler, 11 to 13 cm long and weighing 10–13 g. It has bright green plumage with a black mask around the eyes and black scalloping on the crown. The wing is black and white with a streak of bright red and the sides of the tail are red too. The bill is long, slightly curved and black. Calls include extremely thin, high-pitched, often quickly repeated “si” notes.

Capable of sustained stationary hovering flight much like sunbirds, can also be seen running up moss-covered tree trunks like a creeper. Diet mainly consists of Spiders (Araneae), small flies (Diptera) and other insects; also berries, including raspberries, flower nectar and tree sap. Resident; altitudinal descent evident from Oct, return movement from Mar during winter. Apr–Jun in India and Nepal, but pair with juveniles in mid-Sept at 3400 m in Bhutan suggests relatively extended breeding season. It is classified as least concern by IUCN however and not globally threatened. Generally somewhat scarce.