Blue Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone cyanescens Scientific name definitions

Male 22 cm, female 19 cm. Male is mostly greyish-blue, except for black lores, chin, flight-feathers and underside of tail; very faint narrow black breastband separating throat and breast; iris dark brownish-maroon, eyelid wattle greyish cobalt-blue; bill cobalt to purplish-blue, mouth olive-green to lime-green; legs dark greyish-blue. Female has back , rump and tail rufous-brown, wings dark grey-brown with rufous-brown edges, breast pale blue-grey, grading to white on lower belly, undertail-coverts buff. Immature is like female.

Calamian Group and Palawan, in W Philippines.

A loud staccato  (almost rattling) trill lasting c. 4 seconds and repeated several times per minute; not apparently known to produce a whistled song; frequently gives a harsh and buzzy but mild “chh-chh-chh”, with variations.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Previously considered Near Threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Palawan EBA. Uncommon to fairly common throughout Palawan. Confined to low-lying primary and secondary forest, and is hence exposed to continuing habitat conversion; this species is especially vulnerable, as it does not occur in isolated patches of secondary growth. Present in St Paul Subterranean River National Park.