Alternative names: Balabac Blue Flycatcher; Ramsay's Blue Flycatcher
- Cyornis lemprieri
Identification
16 cm. A rather large forest flycatcher.
Male
- Dull cobalt-blue forehad and upper lores, dull or dark blue rest of head and upperparts
- Black face and lores
- Whitish to buff chin
- Buff throat becomin deep orange-rufous on breast, paler on flanks
- White rest of underparts
Female
- Whitish lower forehead and line along upper lores to eye
- Blackish lores
- Whitish broken eyering
- Grey-brown crown and nape (sometimes tinged bluish), merging into olive-brown on upperparts
- Dark brown wings, rufous-brown edged
- Brownish tail with light rufous edges
- Underparts like male but with brownish flanks
Juveniles undescribed.
Similar species
Has slighty paler blue upperparts, brighter blue forehead and brighter blue patch at bend of wing than similar Mangrove Blue Flycatcher. Note also buff to whitish chin and throat.
Distribution
Found on Palawan, Calauit, Culion and Balabac in the western Philippines.
An uncommon to scarce restricted-range species.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Has been considered conspecific with Hill Blue Flycatcher and probably forms a superspecies with it.
Habitat
Moist lowland forst and submontane forest. Also in secondary forest.
Occurs up to 1000 m.
Behaviour
A shy and easily overlooked species.
Diet
Little known, includes small invertebrates.
Forages singly or in pairs in understorey of forest.
Breeding
Breeding season April to June. One described nest was made of dried grass and placed in a hollow tree stump.
Movements
This is a resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved July 2014)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Palawan Blue Flycatcher. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 6 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Palawan_Blue_Flycatcher
