Mangrove Blue Flycatcher

Scientific Name: Cyornis rufigastra
Malay Name: Sambar-Biru Bakau
Chinese Name: 红树仙鹟

Range:
Found from the Thai-Malay Peninsula to Indonesia and the Philippines.

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: rufigastra, longipennis, rhizophorae, karimatensis, simplex, marinduquensis, philippinensis, mindorensis, kalaoensis.

Local Subspecies: rufigastra

Size: 14.5 cm

Identification:
Male has all blue upperparts, deep orange-rufous throat to upper belly and rest of underparts whitish. Female looks like male but has whitish face marks.

Similar looking species: Chinese Blue Flycatcher

Habitat: Mangroves.

Behaviour/Ecology: Sallies for flying insects from shaded perches. Nests in the rotted-out hollow top of nipah palm frond-base.

Local Status: Rare resident

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Location: Suitable mangrove areas in Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Changi Creek.

Photos:

Male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher from Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Lawrence Neo

Male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher from Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Lawrence Neo

Male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher from Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Lawrence Neo

Female Mangrove Blue Flycatcher from Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Lawrence Neo

Female Mangrove Blue Flycatcher from Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Lawrence Neo

Female Mangrove Blue Flycatcher from Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Lawrence Neo

Male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher from Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Lawrence Neo

Male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher from Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Lawrence Neo

Male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher from Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Lawrence Neo

Male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher from Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Lawrence Neo

Juvenile Mangrove Blue Flycatcher from Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Lawrence Neo

Mangrove Blue Flycatcher family from Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Lawrence Neo

Female Mangrove Blue Flycatcher at Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Chris Li

Male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher at Pulau Ubin. Photo Credit: Chris Li

External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Photos: Oriental Bird Images
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Cyornis rufigastra. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. Downloaded on 2 September 2021
Robson, C. (2008). A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia. New Holland Publishers.
Wells, D. (1999). Birds of Thai-Malay Peninsula. Academic Press.