Fairy-bluebirds (Irenidae)
Asian Fairy-bluebird (Irena puella) - HBW 10, p. 276
French: Irène vierge
German: Türkisfeenvogel
Spanish: Irena Dorsiazul
Other common names: Blue-backed/Blue-mantled Fairy-bluebird; Palawan Fairy-bluebird (tweeddalei)
Taxonomy: Coracias Puella Latham, 1790, Travancore, southern Kerala, India.
Formerly considered conspecific with I. cyanogastra. Race andamanica treated as synonymous with nominate by some authors, but differs in having heavier bill. Birds from N Indian Subcontinent, described as race sikkimensis, considered better treated within nominate. Body size varies with latitude, outer tropical populations of nominate being largest, equatorial crinigera smallest. Race tweeddalei has sometimes been spelt tweeddalii, following very slightly later usage by same author; latter, however, must be rejected as unjustified emendation or incorr.. View all taxonomy...
Taxonomy: Coracias Puella Latham, 1790, Travancore, southern Kerala, India.
Formerly considered conspecific with I. cyanogastra. Race andamanica treated as synonymous with nominate by some authors, but differs in having heavier bill. Birds from N Indian Subcontinent, described as race sikkimensis, considered better treated within nominate. Body size varies with latitude, outer tropical populations of nominate being largest, equatorial crinigera smallest. Race tweeddalei has sometimes been spelt tweeddalii, following very slightly later usage by same author; latter, however, must be rejected as unjustified emendation or incorrect subsequent spelling. Six subspecies recognized.
Formerly considered conspecific with I. cyanogastra. Race andamanica treated as synonymous with nominate by some authors, but differs in having heavier bill. Birds from N Indian Subcontinent, described as race sikkimensis, considered better treated within nominate. Body size varies with latitude, outer tropical populations of nominate being largest, equatorial crinigera smallest. Race tweeddalei has sometimes been spelt tweeddalii, following very slightly later usage by same author; latter, however, must be rejected as unjustified emendation or incorrect subsequent spelling. Six subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- puella (Latham, 1790) - SW, S & NE Indian Subcontinent E to extreme S China (S Yunnan), S in continental SE Asia to N Malay Peninsula and S Vietnam.
- andamanica Abdulali, 1964 - Andaman and Nicobar Is.
- malayensis F. Moore, 1854 - S Malay Peninsula.
- puella (Latham, 1790) - SW, S & NE Indian Subcontinent E to extreme S China (S Yunnan), S in continental SE Asia to N Malay Peninsula and S Vietnam.
- andamanica Abdulali, 1964 - Andaman and Nicobar Is.
- malayensis F. Moore, 1854 - S Malay Peninsula.
- crinigera Sharpe, 1877 - Sumatra (including islands off W coast), Bangka, Belitung and Borneo.
- turcosa Walden, 1870 - Java.
- tweeddalei Sharpe, 1877 - W Philippines (Calamians, Palawan, Balabac).
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A male foraging in a tree Locality Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah (Malaysia), Borneo (ssp crinigera)
Keith Blomerley 22 September 2001 4 years ago 23 sec 4.2 -
Three birds perched near bananas Locality Andaman Islands, Andaman and Nicobar (ssp puella)
Stefan Behrens 2001 4 years ago 21 sec 4.2 -
A male perched, singing Locality Hong Kong Zoo, Hong Kong
Josep del Hoyo 27 April 2002 5 years ago 36 sec 4.2 -
A male perched on a branch and flying away, then a female perched on branch and flying away Locality Cotigao National Park, Goa, India (ssp puella)
Tom Tarrant 31 October 1997 7 years ago 32 sec 3.9 -
A male in a tree, shaking the plumage and flying away. Locality Water Catchment Forest Reserve, Singapore (ssp malayensis)
Josep del Hoyo 31 October 2010 50 weeks ago 22 sec 3.8 -
A male perched besides a male Thick-billed Green-Pigeon Locality Khao Yai National Park, North Eastern Thailand, Thailand (ssp puella)
Josep del Hoyo 17 November 2004 6 years ago 24 sec 3.4
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A female
Locality Pegumbuhalla, The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India (ssp puella)
vasanthan.p.j 5 October 2011 18 weeks ago 4 -
A male bird
Locality The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India (ssp puella)
vasanthan.p.j 19 January 2010 2 years ago 4 -
A male and a female at a feeder.
Locality Vogelpark Walsrode, Walsrode, Lower Saxony, Germany
Josep del Hoyo 12 August 2006 2 years ago 4 -
Adult female on a branch.
Locality Warsaw Zoo, Warsaw, Masovian Province, Poland
Tomasz Doroń 1 April 2010 5 weeks ago 3.7 -
A male bird feeding on berries
Locality The Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India (ssp puella)
vasanthan.p.j 27 January 2010 2 years ago 3.7 -
An adult male
Locality Jurong Bird Park, Singapore
raniero massoli-novelli 1 August 2001 6 weeks ago 3.5
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Calls of male and female during a courtship display.
Locality Danum Valley Field Center, Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah (Malaysia), Borneo
(ssp crinigera)
Josep del Hoyo 18 August 1996 1 year ago 4 -
Several calls of a male. Locality Mount Harriet National Park, South Andaman, Andaman Islands, Andaman and Nicobar
(ssp andamanica)
Josep del Hoyo 15 December 2009 1 year ago 4 -
Song and calls. Locality Masai Rusa River, Asialog Forest Concession, Jambi Region, Sumatra (Indonesia)
Iwein Mauro 21 February 2003 2 years ago 0 -
Calls. Locality Kandang River, Asialog Forest Concession, Jambi Region, Sumatra (Indonesia)
Iwein Mauro 2 March 2003 2 years ago 0
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