About Terpsiphone bourbonnensis (Statius Muller, 1776)
Terpsiphone bourbonnensis, commonly called the Mascarene paradise flycatcher, does not have the long tail seen in many other species of the paradise flycatcher genus Terpsiphone. Adults of this species measure between 15 and 20 cm (5.9 to 7.9 inches) in total length. Mature males have a black head, with grey coloration on the neck-band, throat, breast, and belly. The species' upperparts and tail are chestnut, while the wing tips are black. Males have a bright blue bill and greyish legs. Females are smaller than males, have a paler bill, and have a dark-grey head. The recognized subspecies T. b. desolata is larger than the nominate subspecies, and has brighter colored plumage. Habitat requirements for this species differ between subspecies. The T. b. desolata subspecies is mostly limited to native evergreen forest, and some plantations of Araucaria cunninghamii and Araucaria columnaris. This subspecies prefers habitat with a closed canopy and still air, with only limited undergrowth. The nominate subspecies, found on Réunion, occupies a broader variety of habitats. It lives in a range of forested habitats from sea level up to 500–600 m (1,600–2,000 ft) elevation.
