Black-backed Forktail
Enicurus immaculatus (Hodgson, 1836)
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The black-backed forktail (Enicurus immaculatus), occasionally referred to as the black-throated forktail, is a forktail species in the family Muscicapidae. The species was described in 1836, from a specimen collected in Nepal. It is a medium-sized forktail, weighing between 25 and 29 grams, with a length of 20.5 to 23 centimetres (8+1⁄8 to 9 in). The species has a broad white stripe across its forehead. The crown, face, and mantle are black, while the bird's underparts are white, sharply divided from the black above. The wings are largely black with a broad white stripe across the greater coverts. The tail of the species, similar to that of other forktails, is long, graduated, and deeply forked. The tail is black with a white tip and three white bands created by shorter tail feathers. The beak of the bird is black, while the feet and legs are light pink, and the iris is brown. The species is monomorphic. The black backed forktail is solitary, but is occasionally found in pairs or in family groups. It is described as a shy species.
Wikipedia contributors, Black-backed forktail; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:48:19.135261+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Enicurus immaculatus (Hodgson, 1836)
- Name authority
- (Hodgson, 1836)
- Common name
- Black-backed Forktail
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Enicurus
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderPasseriformes
- familyMuscicapidae Fleming, 1822
- genusEnicurus Temminck, 1822
- speciesEnicurus immaculatus (Hodgson, 1836)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Enicurus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Chestnut-naped ForktailEnicurus ruficapillus Temminck, 1832 | MuscicapidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Slaty-backed ForktailEnicurus schistaceus (Hodgson, 1836) | MuscicapidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| White-crowned ForktailEnicurus leschenaulti (Vieillot, 1818) | MuscicapidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Spotted ForktailEnicurus maculatus Vigors, 1831 | MuscicapidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Little ForktailEnicurus scouleri Vigors, 1832 | MuscicapidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Sunda ForktailEnicurus velatus Temminck, 1822 | MuscicapidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=559910 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:6FBWB. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.