Blue-and-white Flycatcher

The blue-and-white flycatcher (''Cyanoptila cyanomelana'') is a migratory songbird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. The species is also known as the Japanese flycatcher. It breeds in Japan, Korea, and in parts of north eastern China and the Russian Far East. It winters in South East Asia, especially in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Sumatra and Borneo. This species has been recorded as a vagrant from the Sinharaja Rainforest in Sri Lanka in 2014.

Taxonomy and etymology

The species was first described in 1829 by Coenraad Jacob Temminck under the Binomial name "''Muscicapa cyanomelana''". It is now located in the genus ''Cyanoptila'' alongside Zappey's flycatcher, which used to be conspecific with this taxon''.''

The genus name comes from ancient Greek: "''kuanos''" meaning dark-blue; and "''ptilon''" – plumage. The specific ''cyanomelana'' also comes from "''kuanos''", paired with ''melas'', ''melanos'' meaning dark, black.

Subspecies

Two recognized subspecies:

* ''C. c. cyanomelana'' (Temminck, 1829) - breeds Japan and southern Kuril Islands; winters southward to Myanmar, Thailand, and the Greater Sundas.
* ''C. c. intermedia'' ( Weigold, 1922) - breeds in northeastern China (Heilongjiang southward to eastern Hebei), southeastern Russia (Amur Oblast and Primorskiy Kray), and the Korean peninsula; winters southward to Myanmar, Thailand, and the Greater Sundas.

Description

The Blue-and-White Flycatcher is a large (16–17 cm long, weigh 25 g on average) and strikingly beautiful flycatcher. The male is deep cobalt blue, with black on the face down to the upper part of the breast and flanks, the rest of the underside white. White is also visible on the base of the outer tail feathers. Immature male has the adult’s blue wings but is brown otherwise.

The female is smaller on average than the male, with head, face and most of upperparts grey-brown, and pale beige-white on the lower part of the middle of the throat, young males are very similar. The female has a smaller-headed profile than other brown flycatchers in range.

The song is a short, melancholic sounding series of whistles.

Ecology

Habitat

Blue-and-white flycatchers breed in primary and secondary lowland and submontane forests (including taiga, wooded slopes, and gullies) up to 1200m, and also in riverine thickets and plantations. Outside the breeding season, it utilizes coastal woodland, scrub, parks, and gardens, and in Borneo winters at elevations up to 1850m in forested hills, lower montane forest, plantations, and logged lowland forest.

These flycatchers are most active in the morning.

Breeding

The breeding season extends from late May to early August. The nests, constructed primarily of moss, are typically situated in a variety of sheltered locations, including crevices in cliffs, among tree roots, under overhanging stream banks, in shallow tree hollows, and, rarely, within abandoned buildings. The clutch size ranges from four to six eggs, which are incubated solely by the female for a period of 14 to 15 days. Females spend more time and energy caring for young than males. Nest parasites include the northern hawk-cuckoo, common cuckoo and lesser cuckoo.

Diet

It feeds mainly on insects and larvae, but also eats berries, including pokeweed.

Status

Although the species population is decreasing, its wide distribution and likely large size lead to its classification as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List.

Gallery

File:Cyanoptila cyanomelana 269191645.jpg, Adult male, Taiwan
File:Cyanoptila cyanomelana male.JPG, Rear view, Japan
File:4G4A4641B.jpg, Adult male
File:Blue and white flycatcher.jpg, In India
File:Cyanoptila cyanomelana female.JPG, Female, Japan
File:Cyanoptila cyanomelana juveniles male front.JPG, Immature male, note the blue wings
File:Cyanoptila cyanomelana juveniles male.JPG, Immature male

References

* Del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2006). ''Handbook of the Birds of the World''. Volume 11: Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers. Lynx Edicions. .

External links

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blue-and-white flycatcher
Birds of Manchuria
Birds of Korea
Birds of Japan
blue-and-white flycatcher

{{Muscicapidae-stub