Little Forktail

The little forktail is a bird of mountain streams, waterfalls and small shaded forest puddles, breeding at 1,200–3,700 m in the Tian Shan and Himalayan ranges, southern China and Taiwan. The specific name commemorates Dr John Scouler of Glasgow. The sexes are alike, black above with a white forehead, a white band in the wing that extends across the lower back, a small black rump patch, a slightly forked short tail with white in the outer feathers, a black throat and white below. It constantly wags and flicks its tail, occasionally launching short sallies (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is solitary or found in pairs, foraging energetically on moss-covered, wet, slippery rocks, and eats primarily aquatic insects, plunging underwater to pursue prey. It is generally silent, apart from a rarely uttered sharp tzit-tzit call (Wikipedia, general species account).