Phew! I have cleared those confusing looking Flycatchers and now coming to the more sort after colorful Flycatchers.

This is stubby little bird at only 13 cm long. This is a bird again from the slopes of the southern Himalayas, Taiwan and then winters in the Greater Sundas and the Philippines.  This is also a common visitor to Malaysia. Unique is at last a Flycatcher that prefer the lower storey, in fact not tree but very low branches just a meters or so from the ground. The bird also flies out very frequently from its perch the whole day and returning to the same position.

So far this bird from the cool climate prefers sub-montane habitats and I had them in Frasers Hills as well as Bukit Tinggi. Seen them in Congkak and Perdik, both lowland forest.

The habit of this bird is so consistent that once spotted, birders could return to see the bird over a long period of time during the migratory period.

In this page unfortunately, I could not show any picture of the female.

The Yellow-rumped Flycatcher is a very conspicuous bird with its bright yellow under part and its white eye-brow. Another Flycatcher of 13 cm long, this Yellow-rumped appears more slim and longish when compared to the same size Ferruginous. Unlike most Flycatchers, this is a bird from Siberia and North-eastern China, wintering in the Greater Sundas.

It is reported that the bird is a scare visitors to Malaysia but in the last 2 years, the bird was spotted consistently as a passage migrant in a few places. In the earlier year, I even had picture of male in breeding plumage.

This is a lowland bird preferring forest edges. I had it spotted in the car park in Ampang Recreation Park as a winter visitor and in the Kiara Hills and park as a passage migrant. Both these places the birds were seen in open area which are edges to heavily forested park. The bird prefers the middle storey of low trees about 12-15 feet from the ground.

The Narcissus Flycatcher conforms with the size of 13 cm. The bird is native to Korea, Japan, east China and Taiwan doing its wintering in South East Asia. There are 3 sub-species and the one landing in Malaysia comes from East China. That's why it is hail as the Chinese Flycatcher or easier called Green-backed Flycatcher. Only the sub-species going to Philippines has the crown turned black and the throat turns to orange when breeding. The Green-backed has its crown turned olive-green and throat - a very rich yellow as shown in fig.6. Contrary to reports which mentioned that the female has buff-brown colors combined with rusty shaded wings [typical of most female Flycatcher], the one captured by me with the male appears more green than brown.

The bird prefer forest edge of lowland forest and stays in the middle storey of scrubs and within the foliage. Virtually impossible to locate them until they leave their perch to expose themselves momentarily.

In the last couple of years, I have good fortune to meet up with a couple of these birds in the Kiara Hills and the Ampang Recreation Park. This year, they were in Ampang and the agriculture Park in Shah Slam.

The Mugimaki Flycatcher is also of the same size of 12 cm. The bird's trace back to the far north and north eastern China, coming a long way to the Greater Sundas as well as Malaysia for wintering.

Coming from the cold this obviously is a montane bird which also do choose the warmer mountains of Bukit Tinggi and Fraser Hills as well.

Very distinctive bird and easy to recognize. This bird prefers the lower levels of forest or staying within scrubs, although not returning to the same perch after each take-off but hang around as very tight small area. Another point to note is that the bird, most likely from the same brood return to the same spot each year.

The way my photos were showing the birds do says a lot about the bird's attitude. Most pictures were made in Bukit Tinggi where the male was a very co-operative model but the female was not. For the pictures on the female, she was readily available and less cautious with the presence of human in Ulu kali, a climate more suited for the birds.

The Rufous-chested Flycatcher is smaller  than the main group. It is only 12 cm long. It has being said that the bird has much similarity with the Mugimaki Flycatcher but it is a much shorter bird. Yes, they have many features in common. But look again carefully, the features though appear similar at the first glance are not. Then the white supercilium extend forward to go over the eyes? No! The Mugimaki has a short but broad supercilium while Rufous-chested has a long but slim design. It goes just on top to the edge in front - how much forward? Gauge for yourself. Then on the breast, the rufous color as against a shade of orange. The Mugimaki above has deep orange, other has much lighter orange. A better way to compare the shade with that between male & female. The male Rufous-chested has one closer to that of the female Mugimaki.

Unlike the Mugimaki Flycatcher, this is a tropical bird from the Greater Sundas and a visitor to Malaysia. The bird prefers its natural habitat of lowland forest but do go up the sub-montane areas. It can be seen at the low storey of trees or on twigs within the scrubs. It also stays within a designated area though not coming back to the same perch after each take off.

Most commonly seen in Perdik and quite a few spots in the Ulu Klang areas. I have spotted the bird in Gohtong Jaya, thanks goodness  the place too low an altitude for Mugimaki, otheriwse would be another ID episode.

The Rufous-browed Flycatcher is also 13 cm. long. This is a bird that originates from the Sumatra Island and now a resident of Fraser Hills, at least this is the place where the bird was seen most often.

This is definitely a sub-montane bird that prefers the lower storey or shall I say prefers valleys and depressions inland where it can flies up over the edge. Quite often spotted at the edge of steep slopes or deep down in the valley.

I can recall one incident that the bird was perched when spotted and called incessantly. Other times, the bird did stay at the same place when spotted without any hurry to leave.

The Snowy-browed Flycatcher is another small flycatcher at 12 cm. long. The pictures shows the distinctive ways the white-brows reach forward of the eyes. The bird is native to places like North-eastern India southern western China area, then Taiwan and the Sundas. This is now a resident in Malaysia seen only in the small enclave on mountain peaks. Notably that of Ulu Kali and in Gunong Brinchang, along the upper stretches of the road which runs on a mountain ridge.

Very little can be said about this Flycatcher. Unlike other Flycatchers which could be spotted from its perch, this bird appeared from the lower slopes and made momentary presence at the edges for food and off again descending into the wilderness. When not making sudden appearances for food, the bird could be spotted foraging hastily presumably for food in the upper storey, seldom perched .

The Little-pied Flycatcher is marginally smaller than the rest at less than 12 cm. long. This is another bird from the south eastern slopes of the Himalayas, the Sundas & the Philippines.. It is also resident in Malaysia sub-montane

In that altitude and environment, there are only forest and the bird prefers the middle storey but nesting in the lower storey. Very often joins the bird wave of the area and then returning to its own area of perch. Another Flycatcher that was never perched in the same spot for long time but constantly on the move within the small area.

Most commonly seen in Frasers while available in all Malaysia hills resorts. Very distinct and eyes catching white against a forest of green leaves.