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Indigo Flycatcher Eumyias indigo Scientific name definitions

Peter Clement, Josep del Hoyo, David Christie, and Nigel Collar
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated June 23, 2018

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Introduction

Taxonomic note: Lump. This account is a combination of multiple species accounts originally published in HBW Alive. That content has been combined and labeled here at the subspecies level. Moving forward we will create a more unified account for this parent taxon. Please consider contributing your expertise to update this account.

Field Identification

Indigo Flycatcher (Javan)

14 cm. Small blue flycatcher with blackish face and buffish vent. Adult has lower forehead (over base of bill) to lores and chin black, pale azure-blue on upper forehead extending along crown-side to over eye; forecrown to nape and upperparts, including edges of upperwing-coverts and flight-feathers, bright electric-blue or indigo-blue; inner webs and tips of primaries black; tail blackish, edged electric-blue, with white at base (probably not visible in the field); throat pale azure-blue, sides of neck and breast deep indigo-blue (darker than upperparts) and contrasting with much paler grey-blue to whitish belly and flanks, and buffish vent and undertail-coverts; iris dark; bill and legs black. Sexes similar, but female may have less black on face than male. Juvenile is duller above than adult, with fine dark tips (forming bars), forehead and crown may have a few paler or electric-blue feathers, rump darker with feathers broadly buff subterminally and finely tipped black, tail all dark, face blackish with fine buff tips, chin to breast scalloped with large buff spots and fine dark fringes, belly with larger spots, vent whitish buff or light rufous-buff.

Indigo Flycatcher (Rufous-vented)

14 cm. Small blue flycatcher with blackish face and buffish vent. Nominate race has lower forehead (over base of bill) to lores and chin black, upper forehead and along crown-side to over eye and ear-coverts bright azure-blue to whitish blue; forecrown to nape and upperparts, including edges of upperwing-coverts and flight-feathers, deep indigo-blue, uppertail-coverts with whitish-buff tips; inner webs and tips of primaries black; tail blackish, edged darkish blue, with white at base (probably not visible in the field); throat to breast and mid-belly deep blue, rest of belly to vent white, undertail-coverts buffy-rufous to ochraceous-rufous; iris dark; bill and legs black. Sexes similar, female sometimes with less black on face than male. Juvenile is duller above than adult, with fine dark feather tips (forming bar-like pattern), often a few bluish feathers on forehead and crown, rump feathers with broad buffish subterminally and finely tipped black, tail all dark, blackish face with fine buff feather tips, chin to breast with large buff spots and fine dark fringes, belly with larger spots, vent buffish. Race <em>cerviniventris</em> is slightly less dark blue above and below than nominate, has less extensive white at base of tail, undertail-coverts extensively warm buff.

Systematics History

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Indigo Flycatcher (Javan)

Hitherto treated as conspecific with E. ruficrissa (which see). Monotypic.

Indigo Flycatcher (Rufous-vented)

Hitherto treated as conspecific with E. indigo, but differs in its plain deep blue throat to mid-belly vs shining turquoise-blue throat and upper breast and duller, darker turquoise-blue mid-belly (3); bluer, less green-tinged upperparts (ns[1]); buffy-rufous to ochraceous-rufous vs white undertail-coverts (2); broader black frontal band (1); whitish-blue vs pale turquoise-blue crown-flash (ns[1]); slightly shorter bill (sample size small, but allow 1); song rather similar (1). Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies


EBIRD GROUP (POLYTYPIC)

Indigo Flycatcher (Rufous-vented) Eumyias indigo ruficrissa/cerviniventris

Available illustrations of subspecies in this group

SUBSPECIES

Eumyias indigo ruficrissa Scientific name definitions

Distribution
Sumatra.

SUBSPECIES

Eumyias indigo cerviniventris Scientific name definitions

Distribution

N and C Borneo (Mt Kinabalu S to Mt Murud and Mt Menyapa (2, 3) ).


EBIRD GROUP (MONOTYPIC)

Indigo Flycatcher (Javan) Eumyias indigo indigo Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Java.

Distribution

Indigo Flycatcher (Javan)

Java.

Habitat

Indigo Flycatcher (Javan)

Montane and submontane primary and moss forests, from 900 m to 3000 m; generally less frequent above 2600 m.

Indigo Flycatcher (Rufous-vented)

Montane and submontane primary forest, highland scrub and moss forest, including Agathis and other coniferous woodland, at 825 m to 2650 m; generally less frequent above 1600 m.

Migration Overview

Indigo Flycatcher (Javan)

Resident.

Indigo Flycatcher (Rufous-vented)

Resident; possibly short dispersive movements in Borneo, where has occurred farther S than normal limit of range.

Diet and Foraging

Indigo Flycatcher (Javan)

Food small invertebrates, including beetles (Coleoptera), also vegetable matter and fruit, e.g. berries of introduced elder (Sambucus nigra). Solitary or in pairs; in non-breeding season joins mixed-species flocks. Tame and approachable. Forages low down, often in dark undergrowth; also perches in low to middle canopy, gleaning insects from foliage. Pursues insects in flight, but rarely from open or exposed perch; takes berries while hovering.

Indigo Flycatcher (Rufous-vented)

Diet consists of small invertebrates, including beetles (Coleoptera), also vegetable matter and fruit, e.g. berries of introduced elder (Sambucus nigra). Solitary or in pairs; in non-breeding season joins mixed-species flocks. Generally tame and easily approached. Forages low down, often in dark undergrowth; also perches in low to middle canopy, where it gleans insects from foliage. Pursues insects in flight, but rarely from open or exposed perch; takes berries while hovering.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Indigo Flycatcher (Javan)

Song a squeaky and ringing series, “fee-foo-fu-fee-fee-fee” or “chit chwit choo, wee tooo”. Calls include harsh rattling “turrrr-tur” and similar “tzit-tzit-tzit” alarm.

Indigo Flycatcher (Rufous-vented)

Song a long series of short sweet whistles with little variation in pitch, thus sounding rather monotonous, the whole very similar to that of E. indigo. Calls also similar to latter’s, including harsh “turrrr-tur” rattle and “tzit-tzit-tzit” alarm.

Breeding

Indigo Flycatcher (Javan)

Season Feb–Aug and Dec, with peak Mar–May; possibly breeds throughout year. Nest a small cup of moss, dry grasses, rootlets and feathers, placed under overhang on rock face. Clutch two eggs; no information on incubation and nestling periods.

Indigo Flycatcher (Rufous-vented)

Season Feb–Aug and Dec, with peak Mar–May; possibly breeds throughout year. Nest a small cup of moss , dry grasses, rootlets and feathers, placed under overhang on rock face. Clutch two eggs; no information on incubation and nestling periods.

Indigo Flycatcher (Javan)

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Restricted-range species: basically confined to the Java and Bali forests EBA. Common to fairly common. Population size has not been quantified, but it is suspected to be in decline owing to continuing habitat destruction. Present in Gunung Gede–Pangrango National Park.

Indigo Flycatcher (Rufous-vented)

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Common to fairly common; locally abundant in Sumatra, generally more localized in Borneo. Population size has not been quantified, but it is suspected to be in decline owing to continuing habitat destruction. Present in several protected areas, including, in Borneo, Mount Kinabalu National Park (Sabah), Gunung Mulu National Park (Sarawak) and Kayan Mentarang Nature Reserve (Kalimantan).

Recommended Citation

Clement, P., J. del Hoyo, D. A. Christie, and N. Collar (2020). Indigo Flycatcher (Eumyias indigo), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, B. K. Keeney, P. G. Rodewald, and T. S. Schulenberg, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.indfly1.01
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