Large Blue Flycatcher
Cyornis magnirostris
大蓝仙鹟
Introduction
Cyornis magnirostris is a medium-sized bird in the family Muscicapidae. It inhabits the eastern Himalayas, from Nepal to Bangladesh, and winters in the northern Malay Peninsula. The species exhibits remarkable sexual dimorphism with vivid coloration between sexes. While not globally threatened, it remains a rare sighting and is classified as Least Concern.
Description
A medium-sized flycatcher with pronounced sexual dimorphism. Adult males display a cold pale blue forehead, jet black lores, cheeks, and ear-coverts contrasting with a deep blue cap. Wings and tail are dark blue with a subtle purplish tinge. The throat and chin are vibrant orange-rufous, extending to the rear flanks and mid-belly, with whitish lower underparts. The bill is black and legs range from pale flesh-pink to pale pinkish gray or light horn-brown. Females have grayish upperparts and crown with strongly rufous-tinged rump, tail, and wing edges. Their face features pale buffish eyering and lores, dark brown cheeks, and pale rufous-tinged buff chin and throat, with whitish underparts. Juveniles are darker brown overall with rufescent spots on upperparts, deep buff throat and breast marked with dark bars and scaling, and whitish belly with faint dusky mottling.
Identification
Males are distinctive with their cold pale blue forehead and face pattern of jet black lores and cheeks contrasting with the blue cap and orange-rufous throat. Females can be identified by their grayish upperparts combined with the strongly rufous-tinged rump, tail, and wing edges.
Distribution & Habitat
Breeds in the eastern Himalayas from Nepal to Bangladesh and northern Myanmar. Winters in the northern Malay Peninsula. Found year-round in northeastern India, though more common in northern Myanmar during breeding season. Inhabits low, shaded forest areas.
Behavior & Ecology
Diet consists of small insects including spiders, worms, and beetles. Forages in pairs during breeding season, alone otherwise. Hunts by sitting in low, shaded forest areas and waiting for invertebrates to pass by. Vocalizations consist of receptive, high-pitched, short, crisp whistles similar to a vocal tap.
Conservation
Classified as Least Concern and not globally threatened. However, the population continues to slowly decline and it remains a rare sighting throughout its range.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Cyornis
- eBird Code
- larblf1
Distribution
breeds eastern Himalayas (northeastern India and Bhutan) to northern Myanmar; winters southern Myanmar and Thai-Malay Peninsula
Vocalizations
Data Sources
CBR Notes: 2021年中国（西藏）新纪录（岩道等 2022）
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.