Afghanistan (B), Bangladesh, Bhutan (B), Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China (mainland), India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan (B), Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia (Asian), Singapore (E), Sri Lanka, Tajikistan (B), Thailand, Turkmenistan, Vietnam.
Vagrant to Maldives, North Korea.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Indian Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) [XC404472]
by Sreekumar Chirukandoth from Kanthalloor, Idukki, Kerala, India (call)
Indian Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi) [XC157482]
by Conrad Pinto from Phansad, Raigad, Maharashtra, India (call)
Nest
Neat, cup-shaped, composed of twigs and spider webs, at the end of a low branch. Often built near a nest of a drongo.
Eggs (Guide)
3 or 4. Incubation: 21 - 23 days; by both parents.
Subspecies
Has been suggested as being conspecific with Japanese Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone atrocaudata), because the two hybridize, but interbreeding is very limited as ranges barely overlap. Further study is needed.
Proposed subspecies madzoedi (northern Sumatra) and australis (southern Sumatra) are included within affinis.
The following 14 subspecies are recognised:
leucogaster (Swainson, 1838) - Breeds western Tien Shan south to northern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, north-western and north-central India and western and central Nepal. Non-breeding eastern Pakistan and peninsular India.
saturatior (Salomonsen, 1933) - Breeds eastern Nepal east to north-eastern India, eastern Bangladesh and northern Myanmar. Non-breeding also Malay Peninsula. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Oriental Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone affinis).
paradisi (Linnaeus, 1758) - Central and southern India, central Bangladesh and south-western Myanmar. Non-breeding also Sri Lanka.
ceylonensis (Zarudny & Härms, 1912) - Sri Lanka.
nicobarica Oates, 1890 - Central Nicobar Is. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Oriental Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone affinis).
incei (Gould, 1852) - Breeds central, eastern and north-eastern China, Russian Far East (southern Ussuriland) and northern Korea. Non-breeding mainly south-eastern Asia. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Chinese Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone incei).
burmae (Salomonsen, 1933) - Central Myanmar. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Oriental Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone affinis).
indochinensis (Salomonsen, 1933) - Eastern Myanmar, southern China (southern Yunnan) and Thailand east to Indochina. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Oriental Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone affinis).
affinis (Blyth, 1846) - Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Oriental Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone affinis).
procera (Richmond, 1903) - Simeulue I (off north-western Sumatra). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Oriental Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone affinis).
insularis Salvadori, 1887 - Nias I (off north-western Sumatra). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Oriental Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone affinis).
borneensis (E. J. O. Hartert, 1916) - Borneo. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Oriental Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone affinis).
floris Büttikofer, 1894 - Sumbawa, Flores, Lomblen, Alor (Lesser Sundas). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Nusa Tenggara Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone floris).
sumbaensis A. B. Meyer, 1894 - Sumba I (Lesser Sundas). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Oriental Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone affinis).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet