Palawan blue flycatcher

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The Palawan blue flycatcher (Cyornis lemprieri) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on Palawan and its surrounding islands.

Palawan blue flycatcher
Male
Female
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Cyornis
Species:
C. lemprieri
Binomial name
Cyornis lemprieri
(Sharpe, 1884)

Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Description and taxonomy

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A male

EBird describes the bird as "A fairly small bird of lowland and foothill forest on Palawan and neighboring islands. Relatively large for a flycatcher, with a white belly and an orange throat and chest. Male has blue upperparts, a blackish face and edge of the wing, and a pale blue eyebrow and forecrown. Female has a gray head with a broken white eye-ring, brown wings, and a rufous tail. Similar to Mangrove Blue-Flycatcher, but male Palawan has paler blue upperparts and a paler orange chest. Song consists of pleasant, tinkling phrases of five or so metallic notes, each one slightly different.."[2] [3]

Was once considered conspecific with the Javan blue flycatcher as their songs are very similar but these species were separated due to plummage differences as th Palawan blue flycatcher has a white throat and belly in comparison to the Javan's orange. This species is monotypic.

Ecology and behavior

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Diet mostly unknown but presumed to feed on insects. Usually solitary or in a pairs. Forages in the lower understorey of the forest.

Breeding season believe to be from April to May, possibly June. Only one nest has ever been found, which was madeof dried grass in a hollow tree stump. This nest took 15 to 16 days to incubate and both parents were involved in the feeding of the chick.[4]

Habitat and conservation status

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The species inhabits tropical moist lowland primary forest and secondary forest up to 1,000 meters above sea level.[3]

It is assesed as near threatened under the IUCN with populations believed to be decreasing due to habitat loss and deforestation. The whole of Palawan was designated as a Biosphere Reserve; however, protection and enforcement of laws has been difficult and these threats still continue. It occurs in the protected area in Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.[5]

References

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  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Cyornis lemprieri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22709548A94213967. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22709548A94213967.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Palawan Blue Flycatcher". Ebird.
  3. ^ a b Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Barcelona: Lynx and Birdlife International Guides.
  4. ^ Clement, Peter (2020). "Palawan Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis lemprieri), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.pabfly1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
  5. ^ IUCN (2021-09-16). Cyornis lemprieri: BirdLife International: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T22709548A207575683 (Report). International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2022-2.rlts.t22709548a207575683.en.