Chinese Blue Flycatcher
Cyornis glaucicomans
中华仙鹟
Introduction
The Chinese blue flycatcher is a small passerine bird in the family Muscicapidae. It breeds in mid-southern China in forested hill and montane regions, migrating south to overwinter in the Tenasserim Hills and the Malay Peninsula. The species was previously classified as a subspecies of the blue-throated blue flycatcher before being recognized as distinct. It forages for insects in the mid-story and understory layers of forest habitats.
Identification
As a recently split species, identification relies heavily on range and subtle plumage differences from the closely related blue-throated blue flycatcher. Former classification as a subspecies indicates close physical similarity. Proper identification requires careful comparison of plumage characteristics, particularly throat and breast coloration, when separating these species in areas of potential overlap. Specimens collected during the breeding season in mid-southern China provide the most reliable diagnostic features.
Distribution & Habitat
This species breeds exclusively in mid-southern China, where it occupies forested habitats in hill and mountainous regions. During the non-breeding season, it migrates south to the Tenasserim Hills, which span the border between Myanmar and Thailand, and further south to the Malay Peninsula. The species likely follows well-defined flyways through mainland Southeast Asia, though specific migration routes and timing require further study.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Cyornis
- eBird Code
- butfly2
Distribution
breeds southern China (southern Shaanxi and western Hubei to Sichuan and Guizhou); winters southwestern Thailand and the Thai-Malay Peninsula
Vocalizations
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.