Fairy-bluebird

Fairy-bluebirds
	Asian fairy-bluebird - male
	female
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Suborder:	Passeri
Family:	Irenidae ; Jerdon, 1863
Genus:	Irena ; Horsfield, 1821
Type species
	Coracias puella ; Latham, 1790
Species
	Irena puella ; Irena tweeddalii ; Irena cyanogastra ;
	Irena puella light green, ; Irena cyanogaster dark green, ; Irena tweeddalli not shown

Last updated December 19, 2024

The three fairy-bluebirds are small passerine bird species found in forests and plantations in tropical southern Asia and the Philippines. They are the sole members of the genus Irena and family Irenidae, and are related to the ioras and leafbirds.

Taxonomy

The first scientists to examine fairy-bluebirds placed them in the genus Coracias , presumably on the strength of the iridescent blue plumage on the back. This was challenged in the 1820s by Thomas Horsfield and Coenraad Temminck, who suggested a relationship instead with the drongos.^[3] It was variously placed with the bulbuls and orioles as well. On the basis of the DNA-DNA hybridization studies of Sibley and Alhquist its closest relatives have now been identified as the leafbirds. This relationship was confirmed by a large molecular phylogenetic study published in 2019 found that the family Irenidae was sister to the family Chloropseidae containing the leafbirds.^[4] The leafbirds are sometimes included in the family Irenidae with the fairy-bluebirds, but the time since the apparent divergence suggests that they are better treated as separate families.

Morphology

Fairy-bluebirds are robust birds that resemble Old World orioles in shape and size. Males are larger than females. They weigh between 50 and 100g, with some of that variation being caused by sexual differences and some by geographic variation.^[3] There are clines in size differences, which can be attributed to Bergmann's rule, with the northernmost populations being larger on average. They have a powerful deep and notched bill used for crushing, with that of the Philippine species being largest. Their feet are small, which suggests that they spend less time climbing in order to feed and more time on the wing.^{[ citation needed ]}

The plumage of the fairy-bluebirds is exceptional, with the upperparts being deep rich blue. The Asian fairy-bluebird is sexually dimorphic in its plumage, the male being much brighter than the female, but the Philippine fairy-bluebird exhibits much less difference and the female is almost as bright as the male. The deep colour is provided by specialised naked feather-tip barbs. Although the fairy-bluebirds are highly visible in sunlight, they are much less visible in the shade of the forest.^{[ citation needed ]}

Distribution and habitat

The Asian fairy-bluebird has a discontinuous distribution from India to Java and Vietnam. In India the species is present in the southwest of the country and in the northeast. From Burma it has a continuous distribution (in suitable habitat) throughout most of Southeast Asia, and down into Borneo and Sumatra, as well as on the Andaman Islands. The species is rare in Sri Lanka. The Philippine fairy-bluebird is found on Luzon, Polillo, Leyte, Samar, Mindanao, Dinagat and Basilan. The Palawan fairy-bluebird is endemic to the island of Palawan.^[2]

The fairy-bluebirds are dependent upon fruit-producing forests, but all three species seem to exist in a wide range of forests, both evergreen and semi-evergreen. Within forests they are generally found in the canopy.^{[ citation needed ]}

Behaviour

Pairs or small groups (individuals are seldom seen alone) of fairy-bluebirds forage widely to obtain food. Fruit, particularly figs in the genus Ficus , are the most important item in the diet of fairy-bluebirds. Fairy-bluebirds will generally eat fruit of a certain size, and will crush larger fruits in order to make them manageable. Most food is obtained in the canopy. In addition to fruit berries may be eaten, as well as nectar, although this behaviour has only been reported in birds in India. In contrast to adults, however, insects are the principal component of the diet of nestlings. In the Philippines birds have been observed following troops of macaques, possibly in order to collect flushed insects.^[5]

Male courtship displays include elaborate vocalizations, which the female responds to with nest building. Nests are constructed in trees or tall bushes from twigs, moss and grasses, and males and females cooperate in rearing chicks.^[6]

Related Research Articles

The leafbirds (Chloropseidae) are a family of small passerine bird species found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. They were formerly grouped with the ioras and fairy-bluebirds in the family Irenidae. As presently defined, the leafbird family is monogeneric, with all species placed in the genus Chloropsis. A large molecular phylogenetic study published in 2019 found that the family Chloropseidae is sister to the family Irenidae containing the fairy-bluebirds.

The ioras are a small family, Aegithinidae, of four passerine bird species found in south and southeast Asia. The family is composed of a single genus, Aegithina. They were formerly grouped with the leafbirds and fairy-bluebirds, in the family Irenidae.

The garden sunbird, previously known as the olive-backed sunbird, is a species of passerine bird in the family Nectariniidae that is found in the Philippines except on the Palawan island group. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with seven other species: the ornate sunbird, Palawan sunbird, Sahul sunbird, Tukangbesi sunbird, Flores Sea sunbird, South Moluccan sunbird and the Mamberamo sunbird. It is a small, brightly coloured bird with olive-green plumage on the wings and back with a bright yellow chest. It has a long downward-curved bill it uses for taking nectar and capturing insects. It is primarily nectarivorous, but will take insects and spiders, particularly when feeding chicks.

The Asian fairy-bluebird is a medium-sized, arboreal passerine bird. This fairy-bluebird is found in forests across tropical southern Asia, Indochina and the Greater Sundas. Two or three eggs are laid in a small cup nest in a tree. It was described by British ornithologist John Latham in 1790. The only other member of the genus and family is the Philippine fairy-bluebird, I. cyanogastra, which replaces the Asian fairy-bluebird in most of the Philippines. Both species are considered as sacred to the Tagalog people as they are perceived as tigmamanukan omens.

Passerida is, under the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, one of two parvorders contained within the suborder Passeri. While more recent research suggests that its sister parvorder, Corvida, is not a monophyletic grouping, the Passerida as a distinct clade are widely accepted.

The Philippine leafbird is a species of bird in the family Chloropseidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. It is found in the islands of Mindanao, Leyte, Samar and Cebu. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

The Philippine fairy-bluebird is a species of bird in the family Irenidae. It is endemic to the Philippines being found in the islands of Luzon, Mindanao, Samar and Bohol.

The Palawan fairy-bluebird is a species of bird in the family Irenidae. It is endemic to the island of Palawan in the Philippines. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest and it is declining due to habitat destruction and deforestation.

References

↑ "Irenidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
1 2 "Species Updates – IOC World Bird List" . Retrieved 2021-05-28.
1 2 Wells, D. (2005) "Family Irenidae" Pp. 268-277 in del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2005). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 10: Cuckoo-Shrikes to Thrushes. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 84-87334-72-5
↑ Oliveros, C.H.; et al. (2019). "Earth history and the passerine superradiation". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. 116 (16): 7916–7925. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1813206116 . PMC 6475423 .
↑ Ken Stott, Jr. (1947) "Fairy Bluebird: Long-Tailed Macaque Association on Mindanao" Auk64 (1): 130
↑ ""Fairy Bluebird Fact Sheet, Lincoln Park Zoo"". Archived from the original on 2012-05-31. Retrieved 2011-11-07.

External links

Fairy-bluebird videos on the Internet Bird Collection

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[HM4-1] "Irenidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-16.

[:0-2] 1 2 "Species Updates – IOC World Bird List" . Retrieved 2021-05-28.

[HBW-3] 1 2 Wells, D. (2005) "Family Irenidae" Pp. 268-277 in del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2005). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 10: Cuckoo-Shrikes to Thrushes. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 84-87334-72-5

[4] Oliveros, C.H.; et al. (2019). "Earth history and the passerine superradiation". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. 116 (16): 7916–7925. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1813206116 . PMC 6475423 .

[5] Ken Stott, Jr. (1947) "Fairy Bluebird: Long-Tailed Macaque Association on Mindanao" Auk64 (1): 130

[LPZFairyBluebird-6] ""Fairy Bluebird Fact Sheet, Lincoln Park Zoo"". Archived from the original on 2012-05-31. Retrieved 2011-11-07.

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