Tanahjampea Monarch

Symposiachrus everetti

A striking black-and-white flycatcher-like songbird confined to Tanahjampea Island. Black above, with a black hood and upper chest and a crisp white lower breast, belly, rump, and tips to outer tail feathers. Black areas are brown in juvenile, which has a buff belly and rump. Cocks tail regularly. Found singly or in pairs in forest, mangrove, and scrub in lowlands and foothills. Often joins mixed-species flocks. Unique within its tiny range. Song is a mournful, repeated whistle, “weeoo-weeoo...”. Also gives a rasping, agitated “grrr” and metallic, grating “weer” calls.

Taxonomy

This species was originally described in the genus Monarcha until moved to Symposiachrus in 2009. Alternate names include Djampea monarch and Everett's monarch. Some authorities have considered the Tanahjampea monarch to be a subspecies of the Kai monarch.

Scientific name
Symposiachrus everetti
Authority
(Hartert, EJO, 1896)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Monarchidae
Genus
Symposiachrus

Range and habitat

It is endemic to Indonesia's Tanah Jampea, the second largest of the Selayar Islands group in the Flores Sea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical mangrove forest and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

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