Eutrichomyias rowleyi
The Rowley's Blue-Flycatcher, *Eutrichomyias rowleyi*, is a strikingly beautiful and critically endangered passerine endemic to the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. This magnificent bird measures approximately 18 cm (7 inches) in length, exhibiting a predominantly brilliant cerulean blue plumage that deepens on the back and wings, contrasting with a paler, almost whitish belly. Its most distinctive field mark is a prominent black eye-patch that extends slightly behind the eye, providing a maske...
This species exclusively inhabits moist primary montane forest, favoring dense understory and mid-story vegetation, typically found at elevations between 1,000 to 1,200 meters above sea level.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on small aerial insects, which it captures by making quick, sallying flights from an exposed perch.
Rowley's Blue-Flycatcher is generally observed singly or in pairs, actively foraging during daylight hours from the mid-story to the sub-canopy. It employs a classic flycatcher strategy, sallying out from a perch to snatch aerial insects in mid-flight, often returning to the same or a nearby perc...
The Rowley's Blue-Flycatcher is strictly endemic to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, boasting one of the most restricted distributions of any bird species. Its known population is primarily confined to a few isolated patches of humid, primary montane forest within the Lompobattang Mountains i...
Critically Endangered
- The Rowley's Blue-Flycatcher was considered "lost" for over a century after its initial discovery in 1894, only to be dramatically rediscovered in 1998 on Mount Lompobattang. - It is the sole member of its genus, *Eutrichomyias*, highlighting its unique evolutionary path and making it a monotyp...