The fire-tailed myzornis (Myzornis pyrrhoura) is a bird species formerly placed in the Old World babbler family (Timaliidae). Its genus Myzornis is monotypic and has recently been placed in the (much reduced) Old World warbler family Sylviidae. The species is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. The fire-tailed myzornis is a small species of warbler, 11 to 13 cm long, and weighing 10 to 13 g.
The fire-tailed myzornis has bright green plumage with a black mask around the eyes and black scalloping on the crown. The fire-tailed myzornis prefer bamboo thickets, Rhododendron shrubs, birches, and junipers. The species localized distribution and travel in small groups (3-4) or with other small babblers. This species was socially monogamous and sexually dimorphic both in plumage pattern and body size.
The specy’s wing is black and white with a streak of bright red and the sides of the tail are red too. The bill is long, slightly curved, and black. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is a common species in the upper ridges of the Sikkim and Arunachal Himalayas.
The fire-tailed myzornis is mostly seen between 9,000 feet to 13,000 according to climatic conditions and seasonal variation. The fire-tailed myzornis is capable of sustained stationary hovering flight much like sunbirds. It can also be seen running up moss-covered tree trunks like a creeper. Myzornis had larger and heavier nests, fewer but larger eggs, and a longer nestling period.
The fire-tailed myzornis normally eats insects, arachnids, berries, and flower nectar. The bird breeding season starts from April to July. Males and females made virtually equal contributions to breeding activities, including incubation, provisioning, brooding, and nest sanitation. Normally nest is built by both sexes and a globular structure made of moss and placed 1 to 6 m above the ground in moss, on a rock face, or in a trunk with moss and lichen.
The fire-tailed myzornis are resident species with some altitudinal movement. This is usually a silent bird, that can utter a high-pitched “tsit-tsit”. These life-history traits may facilitate its reproduction in the cold alpine areas of the Gaoligong Mountains. This species has a very large range and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion.
The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable. For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
