- Arses lorealis
Identification
14-15 cm. A small, black-and-white monarch.
- Black upperparts with broad white erectile collar (often raised as ruff) and white neck side
- White lower back and rump
- Black mantle and tail
- Black face with small black chin and white thorat
- White underparts
- Bare fleshy broad blue eyering
Females are similar but duller, without black chin and with smaller collar and narrower blue eyering. The lores are white and the forehead speckled whitish.
Immatures are a duller, more brownish version of females.
Distribution
Northern Cape York Peninsula in northern Northern Queensland, Australia.
Uncommon, restricted to relict patches of rainforest and gallery forest.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Was formerly considered conspecific with Frilled Monarch. Forms a superspecies with the latter and with Pied Monarch and Ochre-collared Monarch.
Habitat
Primary forest, riparian gallery forest, vine thickets and edge of secondary growth. Sometimes in adjacent eucalypt forest.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on arthropods. Usually seen singly or in pairs. Forages from middle stratum up to canopy. Wings often half-spread and tail fanned when foraging.
Breeding
Breeding season from October to January, before peak rains. The nest is a tiny hanging basket made of fine twigs, spider webs and tendrils. It's slung between hanging creepers or branches 6 to 10 m above the ground. Lays 2 eggs.
Movements
A resident species, some local movements in wet season.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and D Christie, eds. 2006. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 11: Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553064
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Frill-necked Monarch. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 17 January 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Frill-necked_Monarch
