Small Minivet

The small minivet is a small passerine, 16 cm long, found in tropical southern Asia from the Indian subcontinent east to Indonesia. It has a strong dark beak and long wings. The male has grey rather than glossy black upperparts and head and orange underparts fading to yellow on the belly, with orange tail edges, rump and wing patches; the female is grey above and yellow below. There is much racial variation (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is a widespread and common resident breeder in thorn jungle and scrub. The nest is a cup holding two to four spotted eggs, incubated by the female. It catches insects in trees, by flycatching or while perched, and forms small flocks. The call is a high, thin swee swee swee. Nationally Least Concern (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012).