Male at Biskeri (11000 ft.) in Kullu - Manali District of Himachal Pradesh, India Female at 10,500 ft. in Kullu - Manali District of Himachal Pradesh, India Male at Biskeri (11000 ft.) in Kullu - Manali District of Himachal Pradesh, India

The Red-flanked Bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus), also known as the Orange-flanked Bush-robin, is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae. It, and related species, are often called chats.

It is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in mixed coniferous forest with undergrowth in north Asia to the Himalayas and western China. Red-flanked Bluetails winter in southeast Asia.

The species' range is slowly expanding westwards through Finland. It is a very rare but increasing vagrant to western Europe, and there have been a few records in westernmost North America.

The Red-flanked Bluetail nests near the ground, laying 3-5 eggs which are incubated by the female.

It is slightly larger in size than the European Robin. As the name implies, both sexes have a blue tail and reddish flanks. The adult male has dark blue upperparts and white underparts. Females are plain brown above and have a dusky breast.

The male sings its melancholy trill from treetops. Its call is a typical chat "tacc" noise.

Taxonomy and nomenclature

Red-flanked Bluetail has been known by a variety of English and scientific names in the ornithological literature; the table below details the treatments adopted by some major works.

Publication English name Scientific name Taxonomic notes Voous Red-flanked Bluetail or
Orange-flanked Bush Robin Tarsiger cyanurus polytypic; includes rufilatus Howard & Moore (2nd edition) Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus polytypic; includes rufilatus BWP Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus polytypic; includes rufilatus OBC Checklist Orange-flanked Bush Robin Tarsiger cyanurus polytypic; includes rufilatus Collins Bird Guide Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus Howard & Moore (3rd edition) Orange-flanked Bush Robin Luscinia cyanura polytypic; includes rufilatus HBW Orange-flanked Bush-robin Tarsiger cyanurus polytypic; includes rufilatus, although split suggested Birds of South Asia Northern Red-flanked Bush-robin Tarsiger cyanurus monotypic; rufilatus split as Himalayan Red-flanked Bush-robin IOC standard list Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus polytypic; includes rufilatus Clements Checklist (6th edition) Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus polytypic; includes rufilatus