Red-flanked Bluetail

Identification

The red-flanked bluetail is a small passerine measuring 13–14 cm long and weighing 10–18 g, making it comparable in size to a common redstart and slightly smaller than a European robin. Both sexes share distinctive features: a bright blue tail and rump, orange-red flanks, white throat, and greyish-white underparts, along with a small thin black bill and slender black legs. Adult males are notably darker, displaying deep blue upperparts, while females and immature males have plain brown plumage above except for the blue rump and tail, and dusky breasts that distinguish them from males.

Range & Habitat

This migratory species breeds in mixed coniferous forests with undergrowth across a vast range spanning northeastern Europe, from northern Sweden eastward through Siberia to Kamchatka and south to Japan. It winters primarily in southeastern Asia, including the Indian subcontinent, the Himalayas, Taiwan, and northern Indochina. The breeding range has been slowly expanding westwards, particularly through Finland where up to 500 pairs now breed, and the species is an increasingly rare vagrant to Western Europe, especially Great Britain. Occasional records have appeared in North America, mostly in western Alaska.

Behaviour & Diet

The red-flanked bluetail is an insectivorous bird belonging to the chat group within the Old World flycatcher family. In behaviour, it closely resembles the common redstart, frequently flicking its distinctive blue tail in an identical manner. The bird is an active forager, regularly flying from a perch to catch insects either in the air or on the ground. Males sing a melancholy trill from treetops during breeding season, while both sexes produce a typical chat "tacc" call. Breeding pairs construct nests on or near the ground, with females incubating clutches of 3–5 eggs.

Best Time & Places to See It

Travellers and photographers seeking this species should target its breeding grounds in northern coniferous forests during the breeding season, particularly in Siberia, Japan, and increasingly in Finland. Winter observers might encounter the bird in southeast Asian wintering grounds, including the Himalayas, Taiwan, and northern Indochina. Western European birdwatchers have increasing opportunities to spot this expanding vagrant, particularly in Great Britain. The species' range expansion makes it worth watching for in previously uncommon areas, especially during migration periods.

Photography Tips

Photographers should take advantage of the male's conspicuous behaviour of singing from exposed treetops, which provides opportunities for clean, well-lit shots. The bird's frequent tail-flicking habit offers chances to capture the distinctive blue tail and rump in flight or perched positions. The orange-red flanks and blue plumage create striking colour contrasts that photograph well in natural light. Look for the bird in undergrowth and lower branches of coniferous forests, where its smaller size and active foraging behaviour require patience and quick reflexes to capture in-flight feeding moments.