About Terpsiphone corvina (E.Newton, 1867)
Description: Males measure approximately 20 cm in body length, plus two long black central tail feathers that can reach an additional 30 cm in length. Females reach a total length between 16 and 18 cm, including the tail. Males are entirely glossy black with a deep blue sheen. Females have reddish brown upperparts, including the wings and tail, and pale cream white underparts. Their facial skin, bill, and legs are blue. Distribution: This species occurs in the Veuve Nature Reserve on La Digue, Seychelles, where it inhabits dense Calophyllum forests. Even though a reserve was created specifically for this bird, it is commonly seen outside the reserve, in trees or even in the gardens of Seychellois people. Reintroduction plans have been made to establish wild populations of this bird on other Seychelles islands. Ecology: It preys on insects either while in flight or from a perch. It also feeds on larvae and spiders. It builds an oval, bowl-shaped nest on branches, constructed from twigs, palm fibre, and spider webs. Both male and female parents care for their young until they mature, and both provide food for the offspring, mainly in the form of flies — which is how the bird got its name.
