Irena puella
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
The Asian fairy-bluebird (Irena puella) 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.
The adult Asian fairy bluebird is about 24 to 27 centimetres (9.4 to 10.6 in). The male has glossy, iridescent blue upperparts, and black underparts and flight feathers. The female and first year male are entirely dull blue-green.
The Asian fairy bluebird eats fruits, nectar and some insects. Its call is a liquid two note glue-it. The Asian fairy bluebird measures 24 to 27 cm (9.4 to 10.6 in) in length. The iris is crimson and eyelids pinkish; the bill, legs and claws are black, and mouth a flesh- colour. Marked sexual dimorphism is evident. The male is a shining ultramarine-blue with lilac reflections... Wikipedia →
Recording0:16
Thailand · 2025
Abby Hyde · iNaturalist · CC0
Recording0:06
Singapore · 2019
© Steven Kurniawidjaja · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:15
Singapore · 2023
© Hubert Szczygieł · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khao Luang National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 2 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 3 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 5 | Bako National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 6 | Namdapha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 7 | Periyar National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 8 | Manas National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 9 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 10 | Royal Manas National Park | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | |
| 11 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 12 | Cat Tien National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 13 | Mudumalai National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 14 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 15 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 16 | Nagarhole National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 17 | Bandipur National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 18 | Eravikulam National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 19 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 20 | Kaziranga National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 21 | Doi Inthanon National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 2 | Kuala Lumpur | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Thrissur | 🇮🇳 India |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Asian Fairy-bluebird sighting in Kinabalu Park on a given day, based on 124 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 89th most-seen of the 247 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March–May, July and September–October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Asian Fairy-bluebird in Kinabalu Park on a given day, against under 5% in June, August and November–February, the lowest months.
Between 4 and 7 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Asian Fairy-bluebird sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
15th of 21
Of the 21 parks where we can rate Asian Fairy-bluebird sightings, Kinabalu Park ranks 15th at about 10%. The best odds are in Khao Luang National Park (Thailand, about 70%), Khao Yai National Park (Thailand, about 60%) and Taman Negara National Park (Malaysia, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same order: Passeriformes
The closest relatives of the Asian Fairy-bluebird that you can see in Kinabalu Park (order Passeriformes, Perching Birds) are Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrush (about 80%), Bornean Treepie (about 70%) and Indigo Flycatcher (about 70%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Asian Fairy-bluebird is recorded against all the birds logged in Kinabalu Park (124 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
