Island Monarch
Monarcha cinerascens
A medium-sized, big-billed pale ashy-gray songbird with a rufous belly. Black eye is conspicuous on pale gray head. Juveniles show brown edgings to wing and tail feathers. A small island specialist, found in scrub, forest, and plantations in the lowlands, and on some islands into the foothills. Lack of black facial markings separates it from adult Black-faced Monarch. Absence of gray semicircle in front of the eye rules out juvenile Black-faced Monarch. Song is a “whitcheeoo,” descending in pitch. Calls include rasping “schuk” notes.
Taxonomy
The island monarch was originally described in the genus Drymophila. Alternate names include the grey-headed monarch, island grey-headed monarch, island grey-headed monarch flycatcher and islet monarch.<p>Ten subspecies are recognized:<p>The former subspecies nigrirostris from northeastern New Guinea was lumped with impidiens in 2022.
- Scientific name
- Monarcha cinerascens
- Authority
- (Temminck, 1827)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Monarchidae
- Genus
- Monarcha
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
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