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Case Summary for:
Submission No 242: Blue-and-white Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana. Settlers Beach, WA, 5 December 1995. (W.A. Naturalist. 21: 43-48). Submitted by R. E. Johnstone & J.C. Darnell. Verdict: Accepted A submission that relates to the publication of a Blue-and-white Flycatcher in the Western Australian Naturalist (March 1996). The account describes a dead bird found on Settler's Beach, near Cossack, WA. The bird was reasonably fresh having been found on an outgoing tide. It was later forwarded to the Western Australian Museum (registered number A26021) where it was identified, measured and prepared as a specimen. The bird was considered to be an adult male. 'Forehead and crown bright blue; lores black; hindneck, back and rump purplish-blue with bases of feathers black. Median upperwing coverts bright glossy blue, rest of wings black the outer webs of most feathers blue. Central tail feathers black at base becoming dark blue distally; outer feathers white basally, black distally with blue outer web. Lores, cheeks, sides of neck, chin, throat and upper breast and flanks black; lower breast, belly and undertail coverts white. When viewed from below the tail looks white, with a sharply defined, broad black tip. Entire underwing blackish. Bill and legs black'. The authors also satisfactorily eliminated similar species such as White-tailed Flycatcher Cyornis concreta and Siberian Blue Robin Luscina cyane. The committee having carefully viewed the article concurred with the authors that this record undoubtedly relates to Australia's first record of a Blue-and-White Flycatcher with members voting unanimously in favour. Agreeing that this bird was an adult male that most likely over shot its normal wintering range in the Greater Sundas and South-East Asia.
References and Bibliography
Tony Palliser |