Cyornis glaucicomans
The Chinese Blue Flycatcher (*Cyornis glaucicomans*) is a striking migratory passerine belonging to the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. Males are brilliantly adorned with iridescent cobalt-blue upperparts, contrasting sharply with a dark, almost black face and lores, and a pristine white belly; a small patch of brighter blue often highlights the forehead. Measuring approximately 14-15 cm in length and weighing 12-18 grams, this species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism. Females...
This species favors temperate broadleaf and mixed deciduous forests, often found in foothills, along ravines, and near streams at elevations typically ranging from 500 to 1800 meters during the breeding season. In winter, it descends to lower elevations, inhabiting similar forest types and dense ...
Their diet consists almost exclusively of small invertebrates, including various insects like beetles, flies, ants, and caterpillars, which they primarily capture through aerial sallies from a perch.
Chinese Blue Flycatchers are primarily diurnal, actively foraging for insects throughout the day. They employ a classic "sally-and-snap" flycatching technique, perching quietly on a branch before darting out to snatch flying insects in mid-air, occasionally gleaning prey from foliage. Males are h...
The Chinese Blue Flycatcher exhibits a distinct migratory pattern across East and Southeast Asia. Its primary breeding range extends across central and eastern China, including provinces such as Sichuan, Shaanxi, Henan, Anhui, Zhejiang, and Fujian, as well as parts of North Korea and South Korea....
Least Concern
- This species was only recognized as distinct from the Blue-throated Blue Flycatcher (*Cyornis rubeculoides*) in 2002, based on differences in vocalizations and morphology. - Its scientific name, *glaucicomans*, means "glaucous-haired" or "bluish-gray-haired," referring to the male's striking bl...