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.
Identification
The pale-blue monarch (Hypothymis puella) is a small passerine bird in the family Monarchidae endemic to eastern Indonesia.
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
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Gray-headed Babbler
Stachyris poliocephala
Plain and unremarkable babbler; warm rusty-brown with a dark gray face and a streaked crown. Pale eye stands out against the dark face and gives the bird a somewhat crazed appearance. Shy and difficult to see as it forages in dense tangles and undergrowth. Habitat varies within range; most common in lowlands on the mainland, and in foothill and lower montane forest on Borneo and Sumatra. Song variable but consistently high and whistled, often with an ascending quality. Calls include a long, uniform rolling chatter and harsh scolding.
St. Lucia Wren
Troglodytes mesoleucus
Small brownish wren found only on St. Lucia. Drab brown above and white below, with a faint eyebrow, and dark barring on the wings and tail. Generally more arboreal than mainland “House Wrens”, occurring in dense brushy woodland throughout the island. Often perches conspicuously when singing, but otherwise fairly secretive. Listen for loud song of chatters and clearer trills, as well as harsh scolding calls.
Salvadori's Nightjar
Caprimulgus pulchellus
Small and generally uncommon nightjar, endemic to the forested highlands of Sumatra and Java. Favors openings in the understory within wooded areas such as roads and small clearings. Dark overall and rather short-tailed (wingtips reach tail tip), with a pale patch on the wing (white in males, tan in females). Listen for its song, a long and even series of rapid “chup” notes.
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