Birds exhibit remarkable behaviors in response to changing seasons and environmental conditions. One captivating aspect of avian migration is altitudinal migration, where birds move between different elevations to cope with seasonal variations.
During the breeding season in spring and summer, the Himalayan Bluetail thrives at 2,000 to 4,000 meters in the Himalayas, amidst dense rhododendron and coniferous forests interspersed with alpine meadows, providing ideal nesting conditions with abundant insect prey. As winter approaches, the Bluetail descends to lower elevations of 1,000 to 2,000 meters or lower, seeking milder temperatures and abundant food in mixed broadleaf and coniferous forests, as well as shrub areas, ensuring survival during harsh winter conditions at higher altitudes.
The Himalayan Bluetail is a passerine bird that gets its name from its preferred habitat in the Himalayas, spanning Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar. I had the good fortune of encountering this beautiful bird in the summer of 2019 at Chopta, as well as in winter 2023 at Barlowganj. Unfortunately, on both occasions, I was not able to get a clear shot of its blue tail, a characteristic from which it derives its name.
Himalayan bluetail
/Himalayan red-flanked bush-robin
/Orange-flanked bush-robin
(Tarsiger rufilatus)
Sony A77II
Tamron 150-600
f/6.3, 1/200s, ISO 500, 560mm
Barlowganj, Uttarakhand (India)
November 2023
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