Monarch-flycatchers (Monarchidae)

Asian Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) - HBW 11, p. 289

French: Tchitrec de paradis German: Hainparadiesschnäpper Spanish: Monarca-colilargo Asiático

Taxonomy: Corvus paradisi Linnaeus, 1758, India.
Has been suggested as being conspecific with T. atrocaudata, because the two hybridize, but interbreeding is very limited as ranges barely overlap; further study needed. Proposed races madzoedi (N Sumatra) and australis (S Sumatra) are included within affinis. Fourteen subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • leucogaster (Swainson, 1838) - breeds W Tien Shan S to N Afghanistan, N Pakistan, NW & NC India and W & C Nepal; non-breeding E Pakistan and peninsular India.
  • saturatior (Salomonsen, 1933) - breeds E Nepal E to NE India, E Bangladesh and N Myanmar; non-breeding also Malay Peninsula.
  • paradisi (Linnaeus, 1758) - C & S India, C Bangladesh and SW Myanmar; non-breeding also Sri Lanka.

     See all 14 subspecies
  • leucogaster (Swainson, 1838) - breeds W Tien Shan S to N Afghanistan, N Pakistan, NW & NC India and W & C Nepal; non-breeding E Pakistan and peninsular India.
  • saturatior (Salomonsen, 1933) - breeds E Nepal E to NE India, E Bangladesh and N Myanmar; non-breeding also Malay Peninsula.
  • paradisi (Linnaeus, 1758) - C & S India, C Bangladesh and SW Myanmar; non-breeding also Sri Lanka.
  • ceylonensis (Zarudny & Härms, 1912) - Sri Lanka.
  • nicobarica Oates, 1890 - C Nicobar Is.
  • incei (Gould, 1852) - breeds C, E & NE China, Russian Far East (S Ussuriland) and N Korea; non-breeding mainly SE Asia.
  • burmae (Salomonsen, 1933) - C Myanmar.
  • indochinensis (Salomonsen, 1933) - E Myanmar, S China (S Yunnan) and Thailand E to Indochina.
  • affinis (Blyth, 1846) - Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra.
  • procera (Richmond, 1903) - Simeulue I (off NW Sumatra).
  • insularis Salvadori, 1887 - Nias I (off NW Sumatra).
  • borneensis (E. J. O. Hartert, 1916) - Borneo.
  • floris Büttikofer, 1894 - Sumbawa, Flores, Lomblen, Alor (Lesser Sundas).
  • sumbaensis A. B. Meyer, 1894 - Sumba I (Lesser Sundas).