#monarchidae

Black-naped Monarch aka Black-naped Blue Flycatcher  (Hypothymis azurea), male, family Monarchidae, order Passeriformes, India

today we've got the Biak flycatcher! no, not black, Biak - though it is also known as the Biak black flycatcher, which… isn't a mouthful at all. Biak is the largest island in the Biak archipelago, a group of Indonesian islands off the northern coast of New Guinea. the islands' name comes from the Biak, the Indigenous group that lives there. our critter for today lives in rainforest, which is the dominant form of ecosystem on the islands anyways. it seems to be alright with dealing with new-growth forests, but the population is declining due to habitat loss nonetheless. it prefers elevated inland habitat, but has been sighted foraging in mangroves. they're often found in pairs.

sexually dimorphic, with the males bearing plumage in an iridescent black and the females having white fronts and grey backs. they both look very handsome, with coloring that reminds me of different styles of formal wear. and, though they look highly different, each sex provides the same amount of attentive parental care. the clade they belong to is known as the monarch flycatchers, not to be confused with the tyrant flycatchers of South America. they catch insects in midair, as one might assume by their name; i'm frankly not quite sure where they got "monarch" from, though. could be the crest, but i'm not sure that all the genera have those. shrugs.

7 July 2026

A magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) drinks from a puddle in Burswood Park, Perth, Western Australia

Marquesan Monarch Pomarea mendozae

A bird found in French Polynesia. The Marquesan monarch was once fairly common and widespread in the Marquesas inhabiting islands such as Ua Pou, Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa, Tahuata, and Mohotani but is now restricted to Mohotani. An ornithological study on Mohotani in 2000 estimated that there are approximately 80-125 left on the small island.

Endangered

White-collared Monarch Symposiachrus vidua

It is found in the Solomon Islands of Ugi and Makira.

Near Threatened

Black-naped Monarch (Hypothymis azurea), female

Indian Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi), male, white morph, family Monarchidae, order Passeriformes, Madhya Pradesh, India

Adult males of this species occur in two color morphs: rufous, and white

The females and juveniles however are always rufous