White-bellied Blue Robin

White-bellied Blue Robin  Myiomela albiventris

Etymology:

• Myiomela : Greek word muia – fly; melo – to take an interest in.

• Albiventris :Latin wordalbus –white; ventris- Belly

Vernacular Names: Ta: Kurunjettaikuruvi, Mal: Sandhyakkili

Distribution in India: Resident of hills of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, south of Palghat gap in India.

Description: Size of 14 cm. It has a black face mask with a short whitish brow. The upper side and breast are slaty blue grading to grey on the flanks. The center of the belly and vent is white.It has white supercilium, black lores; black bill and legs. Although the plumage is identical between males and females, males are slightly longer winged and have longer tarsi and female is slightly paler blue. The juvenile plumage is also slaty-blue, but variably mottled brown; iris is grey.

Habitat: It is found in stream side vegetation and wet areas of undergrowth within forest patches (sholas) and densely wooded ravines; also, in much lower numbers, in wattle (Eucalyptus) and old pine plantations contiguous with sholas.  It is found from 1200–2200 m.

Food habits: It eats Insects and Invertebrates.

It lives in low vegetation and on ground, and forages for small insects and other invertebrates.

Breeding habits: They breed in April -Jun. The nest is placed in a tree hole or placed on a bank and is made of moss and fibrous roots. They lay a clutch of 2-3 eggs