Blue-and-white Flycatcher

The Blue-and-white Flycatcher is a striking forest songbird showing strong sexual dimorphism. Males are a rich, deep cobalt-blue across the crown, back, wings, and tail, with a black face, throat, and upper breast that sharply contrasts against a clean white belly. Females are far more subdued, with soft olive-brown upperparts, a buffy throat and breast, and paler underparts, lacking any blue or black.

A prized and eagerly sought species among birdwatchers for the male's brilliant coloring, it inhabits dense, shaded forest, often near streams, where it typically perches quietly within the canopy or mid-story rather than in the open.

Key field marks

• Male: deep cobalt-blue upperparts, black face and throat, white belly
• Female: plain olive-brown upperparts with a buffy throat and breast
• Fairly large flycatcher size with an upright posture
• Often stays within shaded forest canopy or mid-story

Similar species

• Siberian Blue Robin male is also blue above but has a white (not black) throat and a different overall shape.
• Narcissus Flycatcher male has bright yellow-orange underparts rather than blue-and-white, easily distinguished by color alone.

Habitat

Inhabits dense, shaded broadleaf and mixed forest, often near streams or ravines with a closed canopy.

Range

Breeds across Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and parts of northeastern China; winters across Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula.

Migration

A long-distance migrant, moving from East Asian breeding grounds to Southeast Asian wintering areas.

Behavior

Often stays within the forest canopy or mid-story, sallying out to catch insects in flight and returning to a favored perch; males sing persistently from high perches during the breeding season.

Voice

A rich, loud, whistled song with a slightly metallic quality, often delivered from a high, exposed branch within the forest.

Feeding

Feeds mainly on flying insects caught by sallying from a perch, along with some insects gleaned from foliage.

Nesting

Builds a cup nest in a tree cavity, rock crevice, or on a mossy bank; lays 3-5 pale eggs with reddish speckling.