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Frill-necked Monarch Arses lorealis Scientific name definitions

Phil Gregory
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 16, 2020

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

14–15 cm; 9–15 g. Small black-and-white monarch. Male is black above, with broad white erectile collar (often raised as a ruff) and neck side, white lower back and rump, black mantle and tail, black face with small black chin and white throat, white underparts; iris dark, bare fleshy broad blue eyering; bill dark grey; legs blackish. Female is similar to male but slightly duller, without black chin, and with smaller and less erectile collar, narrower blue eyering; lores white, forehead speckled whitish. Immature is like a much duller, more brownish version of female; bill horn-coloured with dark tip.

Systematics History

Long regarded as conspecific with A. telescopthalmus, but recently reseparated on basis of very distinct female plumage (and this arrangement maintained despite new molecular evidence: see A. telescopthalmus). Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

Extreme N Australia: N Cape York Peninsula S to Archer R on W coast and to c. 14° S on E coast (including Iron Range, Coen area and Silver Plains), in NE Queensland.

Habitat

Primary forest, vine thickets, riparian gallery forest, and edge of secondary growth; occasionally ventures into adjacent eucalypt (Eucalyptus) forest.

Movement

Resident; some local movement into adjacent eucalypt woodland in wet season. Single specimen from Endeavour R, well S of known S limit of range, may represent vagrant. Old reports from Atherton Tableland and Mossman thought to involve misidentified A. kaupi.

Diet and Foraging

Arthropods. Usually found singly or in pairs. Keeps to middle stratum and canopy. Hops and flutters up trunks and limbs, wings frequently half-spread and tail fanned as it forages; common techniques are flycatching and hover-gleaning. Behaviour less like that of a creeper (Climacteridae) than is that of A. kaupi.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Usual song a slow “chee chee chee chee cheee” series or an even slower and deeper “chwee chwee chwee” and “tchwee tchwee” followed by a harsh “zzt”; similar to that of A. telescopthalmus but slightly slower and deeper. A high-intensity call given in excitement is like a fast version of usual song, being a rapid, buzzing nasal “chchchchch” series; harsh scolding, raspy “tzeeit, tzeeit” contact or alarm call, typical of genus; also gives harsh scolding chatter.

Breeding

Oct–Jan, before peak rains. Nest built by both sexes, a tiny, frail hanging basket of fine twigs, tendrils and spider webs, decorated with lichen, very loosely woven (contents visible through base or wall), slung between hanging creepers or branches 6–10 m above ground; similar to that of A. kaupi. Clutch 2 eggs, white or pinkish-white with reddish or purple spots and blotches, markings concentrated at large end; will re-lay if clutch lost; incubation by both sexes, c. 13 days; both also tend chicks, no information on nestling period.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not assessed. Uncommon; at low densities. As most of Cape York consists of unsuitable dry-forest habitat, the species is restricted to relict patches of rainforest and gallery forest. Much of its range lies within national parks or reserves; so long as good forest remains, it should be secure.
Distribution of the Frill-necked Monarch - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Frill-necked Monarch

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Gregory, P. (2020). Frill-necked Monarch (Arses lorealis), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.frnmon1.01
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