Pale-blue Monarch
Hypothymis puella
A distinctive plain, all-blue flycatcher-like bird with a light blue bill. Male is handsome, azure blue, often showing a slim dark breast band. Female and juvenile are duller, gray-blue, and lack a breast band. Singles and pairs are active birds, often found in mixed-species flocks in forest and forest edge in the lowlands and into the lower foothills. Restricted to Sulawesi and the Banggai and Sula Islands. Varied calls include a ringing, “way-way-way-way…”, a rapid, agitated-sounding, stuttering “wi-wi-wi-wi-wi-wi…”, and rasping calls.
Taxonomy
The pale-blue monarch was originally described in the genus Myiagra and then classified as subspecies of the widespread black-naped monarch, Hypothymis azurea, until split by the IOC in 2013 to describe a new species. Some other authourities have not yet adopted this species split. The alternate name Moluccan monarch should not be confused with the species of the same name, Symposiachrus bimaculatus. Additional alternate names for the pale-blue monarch include Pacific monarch (a name shared with the buff-bellied monarch), Pacific small monarch and small monarch.<p>Two subspecies are recognized:
- Scientific name
- Hypothymis puella
- Authority
- (Wallace, 1863)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Monarchidae
- Genus
- Hypothymis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
The pale-blue monarch is a forest species which builds a small cup nest. It has short legs and sits very upright whilst perched prominently, like a shrike. It is insectivorous, often hunting by flycatching.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
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Xiphorhynchus atlanticus
Small, slim woodcreeper with a thin slightly decurved bill. Found in humid forests, where it regularly follows mixed-species flocks. The rufous-brown body is heavily marked with drop-shaped spots on the breast, head, and back. Separated from Lesser Woodcreeper by range, blurry streaks on belly, and olive-yellow eyering, eyestripe, and throat.
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