Flores Monarch

Symposiachrus sacerdotum

A small gray-and white songbird with a black mask and chin and a bright white undertail. Upperparts slate-gray and underparts clean white. Very local, restricted to the island of Flores. Found singly or in pairs in the understory of forested hills, where it often joins mixed-species flocks. Lack of peach wash on the breast separates it from Spectacled Monarch. Song is a series of repeated “weee-weee-weee-weee” notes, with a rise in pitch near the end. Also gives scratchy “churr” notes.

Taxonomy

This species was originally placed in the genus Monarcha until moved to Symposiachrus in 2009. Alternate names include Flores mountain monarch, Mees's monarch, Mencke's monarch and Mussau Island monarch.

Scientific name
Symposiachrus sacerdotum
Authority
(Mees, 1973)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Monarchidae
Genus
Symposiachrus

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Elfin-woods Warbler

Elfin-woods Warbler

Setophaga angelae

A medium-sized warbler of moist montane dwarf forests where it feeds actively in dense canopy foliage. It is most readily distinguished from Black-and-white Warbler by the absence of white streaking on its back and the lack of a white eyebrow. Easily separated from Blackpoll Warblers, which have a white, not black cheek. Song is a thin trill, higher pitched during first half and lower pitched during the second. Call note is a high, thin “Peet.”

San Blas Jay

San Blas Jay

Cyanocorax sanblasianus

Handsome blue-and-black jay of tropical forests, woodlands, and gardens endemic to west Mexico. Usually in small groups, which can be noisy and conspicuous or very quiet and easily overlooked; often with Yellow-winged Caciques. Around the town of San Blas (in Nayarit, Mexico), appreciably larger Purplish-backed Jay occurs at southern end of its range (and northern end of San Blas Jay’s range). Purplish-backed is deep purplish blue on back and tail, not strikingly two-toned blue-and-black like San Blas Jay, and has bright yellow legs. Voices also very different. Purplish-backed occurs in mangroves and adjacent woodlands in and around town while San Blas Jay occurs in foothill forest of coffee plantations south of town.

Reunion Bulbul

Reunion Bulbul

Hypsipetes borbonicus

A medium-sized dark gray bird with a white eye, a black cap, and a carrot-colored bill. Endemic to the island of Reunion. Found in humid forest as well as secondary forest and forest dominated by exotic trees; now mostly confined to middle and high elevations. Often in small, noisy groups. Somewhat similar to male Reunion Cuckooshrike, but easily separated by the orange bill and pale eye. The song is an unmusical but varied series of rattling, metallic, and scraping notes, often given from a high perch. The calls include a “chek” note and a long mew. 

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