The Blue-and-white Flycatcher is an East Asian songbird; males are deep cobalt blue above with a black face and a clean white belly. It breeds in Japan, Korea, northeastern China, and the Russian Far East and winters in Southeast Asia. It doesn't live in North America.
Appearance
- Appearance
- About 6.3–6.7 in (16–17 cm) long. Males are deep cobalt blue with a black face, throat, and upper breast and white underparts, plus a white patch at the base of the outer tail. Females are gray-brown above with a pale throat.
- Voice
- Males sing a clear series of whistles from high perches.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- forested mountain valleys
- streamside woods
- Range
- Breeds in Japan, Korea, northeastern China, and the Russian Far East; winters in Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Sumatra, and Borneo.
- Seasonal presence
- A long-distance migrant.
- Preferred conditions
- Breeds in lowland and foothill forests up to about 3,900 ft (1,200 m), often along rivers and streams.
Behavior
- Diet
- Mainly insects and caterpillars, plus some berries.
Life cycle
- Nest
- A mossy cup tucked into a sheltered spot such as a cliff crevice, among tree roots, or in an overhanging stream bank.
- Clutch size
- 4–6 eggs
- Incubation
- The female incubates alone for 14–15 days.
Name and classification
- About the name
- Zappey's Flycatcher of central China was once treated as a subspecies of this bird and is now a separate species. Two subspecies remain: one breeding in Japan and one in Korea, northeastern China, and southeastern Russia.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
- Status
- Its numbers are thought to be decreasing.
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