Cerulean Flycatcher
Eutrichomyias rowleyi
An unmistakable, fairly large blue flycatcher confined to Sangihe island. Entirely pale blue, with a paler belly and a conspicuous white eye-ring which is the most striking identification feature. Juveniles are gray-brown on the head and gray underneath, lacking blue. Singles and pairs can be found in forest understory, particularly where there are steep-sided valleys and streams. Joins mixed-species flocks. Most regular call is a “chew-chew-CHEW-CHEW-CHEW,” louder at the end. Also gives single “tuk” notes.
Taxonomy
The scientific name commemorates the British explorer and ornithologist George Dawson Rowley. The cerulean flycatcher was originally described in the genus Zeocephus, and until recently was known as the cerulean paradise-flycatcher. Alternate names include Rowley's flycatcher and Rowley's paradise-flycatcher. Although initially classified in Monarchidae, a 2017 study involving sequencing of DNA from the type specimen found that it was a member of the fantail family Rhipiduridae, being classified in the basal subfamily Lamproliinae (sometimes considered a distinct family) along with Chaetorhynchus and Lamprolia. This finding was accepted by the IOC, who renamed the species from "cerulean paradise-flycatcher" to just "cerulean flycatcher".
- Scientific name
- Eutrichomyias rowleyi
- Authority
- (Meyer, AB, 1878)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Monarchidae
- Genus
- Eutrichomyias
Range and habitat
The cerulean flycatcher is endemic to the island of Sangihe, off North Sulawesi in Indonesia. Previously known only from a single specimen collected in 1873, this rare bird was rediscovered in October 1998 around forested valleys of Mount Sahendaruman in southern Sangihe.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Its diet consists mainly of insects and other small invertebrates.<p>Due to ongoing habitat loss, a small population size, and limited range, the cerulean flycatcher is evaluated as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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