Slaty-backed Forktail
Enicurus schistaceus
Chiang Mai, Thailand
From the beautiful forests of Central India we now head into the Dois of Northern Thailand specifically on Doi Inthanon in search of the Slaty-backed Forktail. Doi Inthanon is Thailand’s highest mountain and a site of unique biological interest supporting a fascinating variety of vegetation and a higher bird species total than any other protected area. Of the total of 382 species of birds so far known from Doi Inthanon, at least 266 species are residents or were formerly residents on the mountain. To read about some of the birds from these Dois click the links below:
For a list of birds recorded at these Dois click here and for all the other species recorded in the country click here: Birds of Thailand.
About 685 kilometers to the north of Bangkok lies the former seat of the ancient Lanna Kingdom & is considered one of the most scenic provinces in the country given its mountain ranges, valleys, flora and fauna. A land of misty mountains and colourful hill tribes, a playground for seasoned travellers, and a delight for adventurers. Despite its relatively small size and blissful calm, Chiang Mai truly has it all, a city that is still firmly Thai in its atmosphere and attitude. It is the second-largest changwat (province) of Thailand. Bordered by Chiang Rai to the northeast, Lampang and Lamphun to the south, Tak to the southwest, Mae Hong Son to the west and the Shan State of Myanmar to the north. Located in a verdant valley on the banks of the Ping River, Chiang Mai was founded in 1296 as the capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom. Today it is a place where past and the present seamlessly merge with modern buildings standing side by side with venerable temples. Of all the places I have visited in Thailand, Chiang Mai with its forests and mountains and the historic city of Ayutthaya are by far my favourites.
The word Chiang itself is from North Thai, or Lanna, meaning town or city and Mai means new making Chiang Mai the New City as it was founded later than Chiang Rai, the earlier capital of King Meng Rai. The districts in the province are called amphoe, and sub-districts are called tambon. Another twist is the use of Nakhon (or Nakorn or Nakhorn), derived from the Sanskrit word Nagara, also means city, though strictly speaking it refers to a capital city such as Nakorn Sri Ayutthaya (more on Ayutthaya later). Indeed to emphasise its former status you may sometimes see Chiang Mai referred to as Nakhon Ping. Other common names of geographical features include mae (river) and doi which is north Thai for mountain - for example Doi Inthanon and Mae Ping.
The four Dois we spent our time on were Doi Inthanon, Doi Ang Khang, Doi Luang and Doi SanJu. Read about the birds from these mountains.
Doi Inthanon is Thailand’s highest mountain and a site of unique biological interest supporting a fascinating variety of vegetation and a higher bird species total than any other protected area. Of the total of 382 species of birds so far known from Doi Inthanon, at least 266 species are residents or were formerly residents on the mountain. Doi Inthanon is of particular conservation importance for those species which inhabit the moist hill evergreen forests of the upper slopes. Some, such as the Chestnut-tailed Minla and White-browed Shortwing, which are around the summit, occur in Thailand only on those few higher mountain summits which have considerable areas of hill evergreen forest above 1800 m. Doi Inthanon contains the only significant protected populations of such species in Thailand. The Ashy-throated Leaf-Warbler is found no where else in Thailand while an endemic race of the Green-tailed Sunbird (Aethopyga nipalensis angkanensis) is also completely confined to the summit. The Wachirathan Waterfall is one of the best sites for observing birds of fast-flowing streams. The Plumbeous Redstart and the River Chat often perch on boulders in mid-stream. The Slaty-backed Forktail featured here can sometimes be seen. Among the many scarce arboreal birds to look out for are the Long-tailed Broadbill, Brown-throated Treecreeper, Green Cochoa, Purple Cochoa and Black – tailed Crake.
We didn’t have the good fortune to see all the species on all the mountains, that would have been impossible, but we did rack up quite a number of species - about 95 of them. The gallery today is of the equally shy and reclusive Rufous-throated Partridge.
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For a print of the beautiful birds from the Dois click on the button below to read my process and order a limited edition canvas.
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Slaty-backed Forktail
The slaty-backed forktail (Enicurus schistaceus) is a species of forktail in the family Muscicapidae. A slim, medium-sized forktail, it is distinguished from similar species by its slate grey forehead, crown, and mantle. It has a long and deeply forked tail banded in black and white, a white rump, and a white bar across its primary feathers; the rest of the plumage is predominantly white. The sexes look alike. The only forktail in its range for which the adult has a gray back and crown; pattern is otherwise similar to that of Black-backed Forktail, which it overlaps partially in range. White on the head is restricted to a thick eyebrow that reaches behind the eye--instead of a full crown - giving it a more small-headed appearance than the White-crowned and Spotted forktails. Like other forktails, the bird frequents the edges of fast-flowing streams and rivers, where it hunts small invertebrates by hopping among rocks or flying out over the water.
Generally a solitary bird, it may occasionally be found in pairs, or in family groups in the breeding season. One of its calls has been described as similar to that of the Blyth's kingfisher, for which it has been mistaken. The forktail is found in the central and eastern Himalayas, the Indian Sub-continent, southern China and continental Southeast Asia. Its wide distribution and apparently stable population have led to it being classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The slaty-backed forktail was described scientifically in 1836 by British naturalist Brian H. Hodgson. It was originally placed in a new subgenus Enicurus in the genus Motacilla, which contains the wagtails. The specimen used to describe the species came from Nepal. The species name is the Latin adjective schistaceus "slaty-grey". The slaty-backed forktail is currently placed within the family Muscicapidae, which includes Old World flycatchers and chats. A genetic study found that the slaty-backed forktail and the little forktail were genetically more distinct from the white-crowned forktail than were other forktail species.
One of the slaty-backed forktail's calls has been described as a "high, thin, sharp, metallic screech, ''teenk'", similar to that made by a small kingfisher; in particular, it has been mistaken for the call of the Blyth's kingfisher (Alcedo hercules). Another call is described as a mellow "cheet". It also produces a repeated, harsh screeching call when alarmed.
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Slaty-backed Forktail (Enicurus schistaceus)
The slaty-backed forktail is found near fast-flowing water bodies in tropical and sub-tropical montane broadleaf forests as seen here on the banks of a fast flowing stream on the Doi Inthanon, as well as near cultivated areas. These include rocky streams and rivers, including broad rivers and valleys in plains areas. A 2000 paper studying birds in northwest India and Nepal found that the incidence of slaty-backed forktails decreased with altitude. The study also found that the slaty-backed forktail had a preference for streams that were bordered by dense and complex vegetation, and had firm and stable banks of earth. They also preferred streams with finer grained sand on the bottom, and with "pool–riffle sequences." More rarely the bird is seen in secluded areas of the forest, and on the sides of roads or trails near the water. In winter months it has been observed to move from the mountains into foothills and plains areas.
The species is found in the central & eastern Himalayas, from the Indian state of Uttarakhand in the west to Myanmar in the East, including Nepal, and Bhutan. It is a vagrant in Bangladesh. It is also found in southern China, in southeast Tibet, and in the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Fujian and Zhejiang, and possibly in Hainan. Its range in South-East Asia includes Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, peninsular Malaysia, and Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, it is only an occasional winter visitor or highly uncommon resident. Its distribution in southeast Asia is discontinuous. The elevational range of the slaty-backed forktail varies geographically. It has been estimated as 300-1600m above sea level in northern India, 900–1675 in Nepal, 400–1800 in southern China and the adjacent areas of Thailand, above 500m in Cambodia, above 800m in Malaysia, & 800-2200m in Bhutan. In the winter, it has been recorded as low as 200m above sea level.
The range of the species has not been precisely determined, but is known to be very large. The population is thought to be stable, and though its size is not precisely known, it is thought to be greater than 10,000 individuals. It is categorised as a species of least concern by the IUCN. It is common in the parts of its range that occur in China, Nepal, and South-East Asia.
It was a fun time with this particular bird because we were in a brilliantly disguised hide on the banks of the stream and the bird came in quite close.
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