Roufous bellied niltava

Rufous bellied niltava (niltava sundara). Sundara is sanskrit for beautidul, so the name is fitting indeed. Spotted these flycatchers in a mixed species flock feasting on some berries in the mountains of Taiwan. The male in the first image gets his striking colouration from a combination of pigments and unique feather structures. The orange underparts are formed by pigments known as carotenoids (which are produced by the plants they eat). The rich dark blue comes from very small air pockets inside the feather barbs that scatter incoming light. The feather itself contains pigments (melanins) that strengthen the feather structure and deepen the blue colouring. When you see this bird in low light or when it is backlit, the blue colouring resulting from light scattering is lost, so the bird will look black-and-orange instead of blue-and-orange… which is why it is also known as the black-and-orange niltava!

• Fujicolor Crystal Archive Professional Lustre Paper
• 210gsm
• Vibrant, fine-grain pebble texture
• Archival: 100+ years on display, 200+ years in storage
• Silver halide, RA-4 wet printing process
• Sizing: White borders do not change size of the print