Cyornis (Blue Flycatcher), Khao Yai, Thailand (1 Viewer)

[OkamotoKeitaSin]

A female type Blue Flycatcher photographed at Khao Yai National Park, Thailand, January 2020. Altitude of about 700 metres.

I managed to get a recording of the call and song (https://www.xeno-canto.org/519993 and https://www.xeno-canto.org/519995 respectively) but am still struggling to nail the ID.

 

[andyb39]

Any frontal views?

 

[OkamotoKeitaSin]

Yeap! White balance might not be accurate.

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

Fem Hainan Blue Flycatcher.

Grahame

 

[OkamotoKeitaSin]

Thanks Grahame!

How do you rule out female type Chinese Blue and Blue-throated Flycatcher?

Also, I found an angle where some feathers on the upperparts seem (?) to be slightly bluish (whereas in the previous photos they look merely like reflections) - is this expected for a female or would this make this individual a young male instead?

 

[andyb39]

The call certainly sounds right for Hainan - the call of Blue-throated is a little more "joined-up", more of a rattle, e.g. https://www.xeno-canto.org/380475.

I'm not sure if Blue-throated actually occurs there - records may refer to Chinese Blue, which used to be lumped with it.

Plumage-wise, these birds are very difficult. I don't know if the attached graphic helps? I should point out that these are probably typical individuals and some birds may differ.

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

Andy, the repeated rather robin-like 'tic' notes are diagnostic, equivalent call of Chinese is a much harder 'tac'. Further, note extensive incursion of brown at breast sides though atypically this does not extend below the orange breast.

In Thailand BTBF ssp. dialilaemus is restricted to the north and west of the country with some localised wintering in the northern Gulf so, it does not occur at KY, old records likely refer to CBF.

Regarding the status of klossi (previously treated as a race of BTBF), while its range is supposed to extend to extreme E Thailand (HBW), the only confirmed record concerns a male trapped on Koh Man Nai (Ranong) in spring (per Phil Round).

Grahame

 

[andyb39]

Thanks for clearing up my query about the range of dialilaemus. I actually came across these images on Facebook, taken at Doi Inthanon, which were preliminarily identified as 1st-year female dialilaemus by Phil Round, although he hadn't seen the frontal view at the time. If correctly identified, the visual differences from Hainan are quite slight - this bird lacks the brown wash on the sides of the breast, although it's not that obvious on Keita's bird either IMO, and the throat wedge seems narrower.

This bird was identified by the photographer's guide as Hill Blue, which it surely isn't, so if you could confirm, I can pass it on.