African Blue Flycatcher Elminia longicauda Scientific name definitions

15–18 cm; 7–12 g. Small, dainty and slender blue flycatcher with blunt crest and long graduated tail . Male nominate race is almost entirely bright cobalt-blue except for pale grey or off-white belly to undertail; lores black; upperwing (including coverts) blackish, broadly edged cobalt-blue, tail blackish , broadly edged cobalt or greenish-blue; iris dark brown; bill and legs black. Differs from E. albicauda in much bluer plumage, especially on head, and blue tail. Female is similar to male but duller blue, with shorter tail. Juvenile is like adult, but greyer on upperparts, with tips of remiges and tail feathers off-white. Race <em>teresita</em> is paler above, with whiter underparts  .

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Montane forest, gallery forest, riverine forest and coastal forest, secondary bush and acacias in savanna woodland, also forest edge; shade coffee, and frequently on edges of cleared areas, edges of cultivation and gardens; in Ghana occurs in forested inselbergs on Accra plain; in N Gabon usually only within 500 m of human habitations, including in cleared and disused plantations and thickets on edges of villages; in Gambia and S Nigeria in mangroves and adjacent riverine forest. Recorded from sea-level up to 1350 m in Nigeria, up to 2000 m in Cameroon; between 800 m and 2400 m in E Africa; overlaps with E. albicauda between 1600 m and 1800 m in SW Uganda and N Angola.

Mostly sedentary, though a few visitors recorded N to S Mauritania during rainy season.

Food mostly small invertebrates, including small bees and ants (Hymenoptera), flies (Diptera), termites (Isoptera), beetles (Coleoptera), small orthopterans, moths and caterpillars (Lepidoptera), spiders (Araneae); most prey 3–6 mm in size, but has been known to take items up to 20 mm long. Usually in pairs, or in small (family?) groups of up to seven individuals led by dominant male. Favours shaded perches  in dense foliage of trees; actively forages in middle and upper canopy, with wings held half-drooped and tail continually spread; makes darting flight after insects. Often hunts near water, and frequently plunge-dives to bathe.

Song a series of unhurried, rambling and rather tuneless notes strung together in no particular sequence, may give more urgency or slightly faster delivery towards middle or end, “tsip, chip…tsee-tsu-tsee-tsai…chair, tsee, chup, chup, tsee”, or slightly more rapid “tsee-tsoo-tsee-dzidzidzi”; not unlike a sunbird (Nectariniidae) in quality, but richer and more varied. Calls similar to notes in song and difficult to separate, but a variety of thin or high-pitched  “zip”, “dzp”, “ptit”, “dzwip” or “pit-pit” or “ptiay-twi-ti”.

Jun in Ghana, Jul in Togo, Mar and Jun–Aug in Nigeria and Feb–Aug in Cameroon; Jan, Apr, Jun, Sept, Nov and Dec in Gabon, Aug–Sept in Angola, and Apr and Jun in DRCongo; peak Feb–Apr in Uganda, elsewhere in E Africa during long rains Mar–Aug and Oct and Dec. Monogamous, also polygamous; occasionally loosely colonial. Breeds as small territorial group. In display, partners sit together, with crest erect, fanned tail raised and pointed towards mate, and quiver, clap or gently flap drooping wings; most song given by dominant male, with erect crest, fluffed breast feathers, flicking wings and swinging and fanning tail. Nest a small, neat, compact and well-camouflaged cup of fine grasses, fine plant fibres, bark and palm strips, vegetable down, seedheads, feathers, lichens and moss, bound together with gossamer, placed up to 5 m from ground in fork of tree or along branch, and closely matching foliage; group territory c. 12 ha. Clutch 1–2 eggs, creamy or tinged grey, densely mottled with fine ash-grey, greyish, greenish-grey or yellowish-brown freckles or spots; incubation period unknown; chicks fed by both parents or by all members of group, nestling period at least 14 days; after leaving nest fledglings fed for at least a further 21 days. Breeding success little known: of six nests in NE Gabon, two produced single young each and three produced two young each.

Not globally threatened. Uncommon or locally common. Sparsely distributed in Ivory Coast, common in N Angola, widespread and generally common in Uganda. Present in numerous protected areas, e.g. Comoé National Park (Ivory Coast) and Bénoué National Park (Cameroon).