A very range-limited Western Ghats endemic -- found only in the sholas of the Nilgiri mountains. Earlier considered the nominate subspecies of the bird and the other (albiventris) subspecies endemic to the Anamalai sholas. They are now a separate species (proposed as Rufous-bellied Shortwing) thanks to some path breaking genetics work done by Bangalore scientists V.V. Robin, Anindya Sinha and Uma Ramakrishnan (See article here -- http://goo.gl/bzyzP).
Also, 'Birds of South Asia' author Pamela Rasmussen has created a new genus for the Western Ghats shortwings -- Myiomela -- and new names of Nilgiri Blue Robin (the attached bird) and White-bellied Blue Robin (Myiomela albiventris).
Photographed yesterday evening with KV Eldhose near Ooty. I had visited Ooty from Bandipur and had forgotten to carry my monopod and head. So had no choice but to handhold the camera & lens (and bump ISO to 1600) to get decent images!
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