Alternative names: Small Slaty Flycatcher; Small Slaty Monarch
- Mayrornis schistaceus
Identification
13-14 cm.
- Mainly dull slate-grey plumage
- Broad but ill-defined pale eyering and lores
- Short dark grey moustachial stripe
- Slightly paler underparts
- Whitish undertail-coverts
- Black tail with small white tips on outer three feather pairs
Sexes similar. Juveniles have a paler undertail and darker white spots on underside of tail feathers.
Distribution
Endemic on Vanikoro Island and adjacent Buma Island in southern Santa Cruz Islands (extreme eastern Solomon Islands).
A fairly common restricted-range species.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Habitat
Moist lowland forests and secondary growth up to 450m.
Tolerant of old logged forest but not found in open or scrubby habitats.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on insects.
Forages mostly in canopy and subcanopy, often in mixed-species flocks or together with Santa Cruz Fantails.
Holds tail nearly always cocked, occasionally flicked up or down and fanned.
Breeding
Juveniles observed in November. No other information.
Movements
This is a sedentary species.
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) Vanikoro Monarch. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 January 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Vanikoro_Monarch
