The Long-tailed Minivet is a medium-sized bird that belongs to the Campephagidae family, along with other cuckoo-shrikes and minivets. It is found in southern and south-eastern Asia, where it occurs in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, and Vietnam1. It is named after Georg Steller, a German naturalist who first described it in 1741.

The Long-tailed Minivet has a black bill, a stout body, and a long tail. It measures about 17 cm (6.7 in) in length and weighs about 29 g (1.0 oz)3. It has 16 recognized subspecies, which differ in the amount of black and blue on the head and body2. The male has a red face and crown, a green back, and a yellow belly, with a wide golden-yellow eyebrow stripe and a violet-blue cap. The female is similar, but has a greenish-yellow belly and a narrower eyebrow stripe.

The Long-tailed Minivet lives in open wooded areas, especially with oaks, acacias, and eucalyptus. It is uncommon and often inconspicuous, as it forages mainly at middle to upper levels of the forest1. It feeds mostly on ants and termites, which it catches on the wing or pecks from tunnels and bark. It also eats other insects, seeds, nuts, berries, eggs, and small animals. It sometimes visits bird feeders, where it may compete with other birds for food4. It has a loud and harsh voice, and can imitate the sounds of other birds, animals, and human noises. It has a distinctive chuckling call note, and a song that resembles a robin’s but is clearer and less nasal.

The Long-tailed Minivet breeds from March to June, depending on the location. It builds a cup-shaped nest of twigs, moss, and mud, usually in a conifer tree. The female lays 3 to 6 eggs, which are greenish or bluish with brown spots. The male helps to incubate the eggs and feed the young. The chicks fledge after about 16 days, and stay with their parents for another month or so.

The Long-tailed Minivet is a resident bird that does not migrate. It is not threatened by extinction, and has a large and stable population. However, it may face some threats from habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation, as well as from predators, parasites, and diseases. Therefore, it is important to protect and conserve its natural environment, and to appreciate its beauty and role in the ecosystem.