Spectacled Monarch
Symposiachrus trivirgatus· 王鹟科(7 photos)
Locations:
Spectacled Monarch
14-16 cm. Slender, active flycatcher: bill blue-grey; upperparts deep blue-grey; black cloverleaf pattern on face/throat; lower sides of face to breast orange-buff; underparts white; tail black, outer feathers prominently tipped white. Race albiventris of n. Q: upperbreast orange-buff; most of underparts white. Immature: no black on head; centre of throat greyish; outer tail feathers tipped buff-white. Singles, pairs, parties: vivacious; flutters, hovers, dodges in foliage; works industriously over trunks, vines, longish tail fanned, white tips prominent. Often first located by chatterings.
- Other name
- Spectacled Flycatcher.
- Similar Species
- Black-faced, Black-winged Monarchs.
- Voice
- scratchy chatterings; fussy, deep, jigging scoldings, somewhat like rosellas; also quiet, drawn-out 'breer, breer, breer', like Varied Triller.
- Habitat
- understorey of mountain/lowland rainforests; thickly wooded gullies; waterside vegetation including mangroves; mostly well below canopy.
- Breeding
- Oct.-Feb.
- Nest
- pretty cup of fine bark, plant fibre, leaf skeletons, green moss, spiders' web/cocoons; in fork of open shrub, low tree, hanging vine, 1-6 m high, often near water.
- Eggs
- 2; oval; pink/creamy white, minutely freckled rich-pink, red-brown, dull purple, mostly on large end.
- Range & Status
- coastal ne. and e. Aust. and coastal islands, from C. York (Q) s. to Watson R. on w. coast and to Port Stephens (NSW) on e. coast. Resident s. to Rockhampton; summer breeding migrant to se. Q-ne. NSW, from Sept.-Oct., to May. Common humid ne. Q; elsewhere uncommon in suitable habitat. Also s. PNG, Moluccas, Timor.
- Distribution key to races
- 1. Symposiachrus trivirgatus gouldii 2. Symposiachrus trivirgatus albiventris
