Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis Scientific name definitions

12–13 cm; 6–9 g. Small to medium-sized, slender, upright forest flycatcher with crested head shape. Nominate race has head to nape, side of neck and upper breast plain smoky grey, forehead and lores sometimes streaked darker, narrow white eyering; upperparts mostly greenish or yellowish olive-green (brighter on rump and uppertail-coverts ); upperwing-coverts as mantle and back, with yellowish edges of greater coverts, flight-feathers and tail feathers, inner webs of remiges and rectrices black; breast to undertail-coverts bright yellow, with olive on side of lower breast and flanks; iris dark brown; bill black, pinkish base of lower mandible; legs light brown to yellowish or pinkish-brown. Sexes alike in plumage, female smaller than male. Juvenile is similar to adult, but with pale yellow tips of median and greater coverts, lores greyish, breast tinged green, and duller yellow on underparts. Races differ rather little: calochrysea is slightly paler than nominate, with rump yellower and flight-feathers more conspicuously edged green; <em>antioxantha</em> has darker grey on head to breast, duller green upperparts, less bright yellow below; sejuncta has paler grey throat, and lower throat and upper breast washed yellow; connectens is similar to last, but has more extensive grey on side of head.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Mature and secondary dry broadleaf forests and woodlands, favouring wooded gorges and ravines with streams; also abandoned plantations and large gardens; from lowlands to upper montane levels. Breeds mostly at 1200–1800 m in N Pakistan, 100–2000 m in C & S China, and c. 1500–3100 m in C Himalayas; in SW India generally above 900 m and in Sri Lanka in wet-zone hills above 550 m; in SE Asia breeds at 1280–3050 m, but down to 650 m in Malay Peninsula, and at 600–2200 m from Sumatra E to Bali; sea-level to 600 m on Flores and to c. 1000 m on Sumba. In non-breeding season in similar habitat at lower levels, below 1000 m in W Himalayas and 1800 m in E ranges; also in smaller woodlands, sholas, bamboo forest, copses, mangrove forests, orchards and large wooded gardens.

Resident and migratory. Short-distance altitudinal migrant; descends from Himalayas to plains of N & C India between Sept and early Mar, may also make short-range altitudinal movements in severe weather; in S China, breeding birds from N Guangdong reach S Guangdong and Hong Kong between early Oct and early Apr; non-breeding visitor to C & E Thailand and S Myanmar, and more widespread at lower altitudes in Laos. Vagrant in NE China (Beidaihe, in S Liaoning) and South Korea (Apr 2016) (1 Park, J.-Y. and Oh, M.R. (2018). [First record of Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis) in Korea]. Korean J. Orn.. 25(1): 62–64. Close ).

Diet includes gnats and mosquitoes (Culicidae), other dipteran flies, also beetles (Coleoptera), wasps (Hymenoptera), moths (Lepidoptera) and other small invertebrates. In pairs, solitary, or as regular member of mixed-species foraging flocks; in family parties in breeding season, and in non-breeding season several (possibly first-years) congregate in communal feeding area. Tame, confiding and active throughout day. Forages at all levels down to understorey, usually within canopy, actively flitting between branches, vines and foliage; also pursues insects in acrobatic dashes within and above canopy and from lower prominent perches, e.g. roadside wires, often returning to same or nearby perch. Frequently flicks tail when perched . Territorial also in non-breeding season, and often aggressive towards conspecifics.

Noisy and vocal throughout year. Song (given all year) a loud and squeaky, high-pitched five-note sequence, “tit-titu-wheeee” or “chik…which ee-whi­cheee” or “twoi-toi-teeh-deeh”, the first two notes descending and the rest rising in tone; also a rising “chilup chili chili” frequently repeated, and variations on same theme. Territorial calls include a rapid, high-pitched “chit-tit-tit-tit-tirrr-h”; other calls include “chap”, a sharp “kitwik kitwik” and a soft “pit pit pit” or “tip, tip tip”.

Season late Feb to Jul; often two broods. Monogamous; pair-bond long-lasting. Displaying male performs short circling flights of up to 30 m in front of perched female, perching adjacent to her and then flying off again, also hovering on rapidly vibrating wings in front of her and displaying rump, the two calliong to each other throughout, and display repeated up to 15 times; male also courtship-feeds mate. Nest, in S India and Sri Lanka apparently built entirely by male, a cup of moss, plant fibres (especially bryophytes), lichens and gossamer, material usually matching that of nest location (nest thus well camouflaged), usually placed up to 9 m from ground on side of tree trunk, or on boulder; often two broods in same nest, or nest re-used in subsequent year. Clutch 3–4 eggs; male assists with feeding of nestlings; no information on duration of incubation and fledging periods.

Not globally threatened. Common to locally abundant. Considered partly near-threatened in some lowland areas owing to continuing depletion of lowland forests; at study sites in Peninsular Malaysia, absent from logged, regenerating secondary forests for at least 20 years, although present in adjacent mature forest. Uncommon in Hong Kong. Uncommon on Flores; believed to have occurred previously also on Lombok.