Terpsiphone

a genus of birds of the flycatcher family of the order Passeriformes. The males have a dark crest and a very long tail; their plumage may be red, white, black, or blue. The females are less brightly colored. They are 16 to 40 cm long, with tails of up to 30 cm. There are 14 species, found widely in the tropical regions of Africa and in southern and eastern Asia. There are two species in the USSR: T. paradisi, found in the mountain forests of Middle Asia and in the Primor’e and T. atrocaudata, which migrates to the Primor’e. The birds of this genus inhabit the borders of deciduous forests and dense groves, nesting in trees; their clutches consist of two or three eggs. They feed on insects and spiders.