Cerulean Flycatcher
CR

Cerulean Flycatcher

Eutrichomyias rowleyi

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerulean_flycatcher

Overview

The cerulean flycatcher is a medium-sized, blue passerine with bright caerulean blue plumage, a bare white orbital ring, dark brown iris, bluish black bill and pale blue-grey below. The young has a shorter tail and grey underparts. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Eutrichomyias. Although it resembles a monarch flycatcher, it is actually related to the fantails.

Eutrichomyias rowleyi faces severe threats from rapid deforestation and habitat conversion across its extremely limited range in the Sangihe Islands of Indonesia. Mining activities, agricultural expansion, and logging have fragmented the remaining forest patches, while the species' specialized habitat requirements make it particularly vulnerable to even small-scale disturbances. The tiny population size increases extinction risk from stochastic events and genetic bottlenecks.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered flycatcher inhabits primary and secondary lowland forests in the Sangihe Islands, typically found in the forest canopy and mid-story levels. It requires intact forest ecosystems with dense vegetation cover and appears to be sensitive to habitat degradation.

Forest· majorShrubland· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionHabitat & natural process restorationSpecies recoverySpecies reintroductionAwareness & communicationsLinked enterprises & livelihood alternatives

Other threatened species in LAMPROLIIDAE

VU

Natewa Silktail

Lamprolia klinesmithi

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Threatened in Indonesia

EN

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Unknown
Acropora hemprichiiEN

Acropora hemprichii

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VU

Bacan Myzomela

Myzomela batjanensis

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VU

Hopea coriacea

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Cerulean Flycatcher classified as Critically Endangered?
Cerulean Flycatcher is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Eutrichomyias rowleyi faces severe threats from rapid deforestation and habitat conversion across its extremely limited range in the Sangihe Islands of Indonesia. Mining activities, agricultural expansion, and logging have fragmented the remaining forest patches, while the species' specialized habitat requirements make it particularly vulnerable to even small-scale disturbances. The tiny population size increases extinction risk from stochastic events and genetic bottlenecks.
Where does Cerulean Flycatcher live?
Cerulean Flycatcher occurs in Indonesia. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Cerulean Flycatcher?
The main threats to Cerulean Flycatcher are 11.1, 2.1, 5.3, and 5.4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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