COVER STORY: SOFTBILLS
THE genus Enicurus- forktails - contains eight species of attractive long-tailed pied Asiatic chats, which are also known as chat thrushes. Forktails are found in a number of countries throughout southern and south-east Asia and China, where they inhabit fast-flowing mountain streams and forested rivers.
Sexes are mostly alike, though the chestnut-naped forktail (E. ruficapillus) from Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar (Burma) has a rich chestnut-brown head, which in the female covers the mantle. The female Sunda forktail (E. velatus), from Indonesia, has a chocolate brown crown
Forktails have featured in a number of zoos in Asia, the USA and Europe, albeit infrequently. In Europe, the white-crowned forktail () has been exhibited at the zoos fit London, Berlin, Walsrode, Heidelberg and Cleres. This is the largest forktail, 11 in (28cm) long, and) at Heidelberg Zoo.
