Cyornis herioti
The Blue-breasted Blue Flycatcher, scientific name *Cyornis herioti*, is a strikingly beautiful Old World flycatcher endemic to the Philippines, primarily found on Luzon and its satellite islands. Males are instantly recognizable by their brilliant cobalt blue upperparts, a vivid blue supercilium, and a broad black mask that covers the lores, chin, and throat, extending as a distinct band across the upper breast. This black band strikingly contrasts with the bright rufous-orange lower breast ...
This species primarily inhabits lowland and foothill primary and secondary forests, showing a preference for dense undergrowth and often found near ravines or streams. It typically occurs at elevations below 1000 meters, occasionally reaching up to 1200 meters.
Its diet consists primarily of small to medium-sized insects, including beetles, caterpillars, ants, and flies. It forages by sallying from a perch to catch prey in mid-air or gleaning insects from leaves and branches.
The Blue-breasted Blue Flycatcher is a diurnal species, generally observed singly or in pairs, frequently foraging in the dense understory or mid-canopy. It employs characteristic 'sally-glean' and 'sally-strike' foraging techniques, perching patiently before darting out to catch flying insects o...
The Blue-breasted Blue Flycatcher is strictly endemic to the Philippines, making it a highly localized species. Its primary distribution encompasses the large island of Luzon, where it can be found across various provinces in both northern and southern regions. Additionally, isolated populations ...
Least Concern
- The male's striking combination of brilliant blue upperparts, black breast band, and rufous-orange underparts makes it one of the most uniquely patterned flycatchers in its genus. - This species is an endemic jewel, found exclusively within the Philippine archipelago, primarily on the island of...