Alternative names: Solomon Flycatcher; Solomons Myiagra Flycatcher; Solomons Satin Flycatcher
- Myiagra ferrocyanea
Identification
13 cm. A small flycatcher with a distinctive upright posture.
Male
- Black head, upperparts and upper breast with purplish gloss
- White underparts
- Dark brown eye
- Grey bill
- Blackish legs
Female
- Grey head merging into rufous back
- Dark brown wings with rufous feather edgings
- Rufous tail with dark brown central tail feathers
- Whitish underparts
- female cinerea with grey upperparts, grey tinge on throat, buff tinge on underparts
- female feminina with grey back, with dull brownish on tail and wings
- female malaitae with grey back and dull brown wings and tail with rusty fringes of secondaries
Distribution
Found on the Solomon Islands including Bougainville (Papua New Guinea).
A restricted-range species. Uncommon on Bougainvile and Buka, fairly common in Solomons.
Taxonomy
Four subspecies recognized:
- M. f. ferrocyanea on Santa Isabel, Choiseul and Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands)
- M. f. feminina on Kulambangra (New Georgia Group in Solomon Islands)
- M. f. cinerea on Bougainville (Solomon Islands)
- M. f. malaitae on Malaita (Solomon Islands)
May form a superspecies with Leaden Flycatcher, Makira Flycatcher, Melanesian Flycatcher and Samoan Flycatcher.
Habitat
Found in native forest and at forest edges, in secondary growth, tall mangroves, coastal casuarinas and gardens.
Occurs from sea-level up to at leat 1500 m.
Behaviour
An active, noisy and conspicuous species. Shivers its tail frequently.
Diet
Feeds on arthropods. Forages mainly in canopy and outer foliage. Catches insects by sallying and hovering.
Breeding
Nest-building observed in December. The nest is a shallow cup made of vegetable fibres and bark. It's placed 10 to 20 m above the ground on a horizontal fork.
Movements
This is a sedentary species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved July 2014)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Steel-blue Flycatcher. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 17 January 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Steel-blue_Flycatcher
