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Symposiachrus
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Black-bibbed Monarch Symposiachrus mundus Scientific name definitions

Peter Clement
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated December 23, 2019

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

16 cm. Has long or dagger-like and slightly upturned bill. Forehead and lores to ear-coverts, chin and throat are black; upperparts to uppertail-coverts dark grey, upperwing-coverts and flight-feathers blackish; tail black on inner feathers, becoming progressively white towards outermost feathers; underparts white; iris dark; bill ash-grey to lead-grey; legs lavender to dark ash-grey. Distinguished from similarly patterned M. trivirga­tus by larger and long bill, no rufous in plumage, only centre of throat black. Sexes alike. Juvenile has pale forecrown, whitish face to throat and neck, greyish-brown upperparts, buff edges and tips on outer tail feathers, cinnamon-brown underparts.

Systematics History

Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

Extreme E Lesser Sundas (Damar, Babar Is) and Tanimbar Is (Larat, Yamdena, Selaru).

Habitat

Inhabits primary semi-evergreen forest, including selectively logged areas, and also mangroves.

Movement

Resident.

Diet and Foraging

Diet not well known, but mainly small invertebrates. In pairs or small groups, and most frequently in mixed-species foraging flocks. Actively forages in middle levels of trees; gleans insect prey from among foliage, especially from underside of leaves and branches in manner of nuthatch (Sittidae). Steeply raises and fans tail when alarmed or agitated.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Apparently variable song a series of up to 11 whistled “swih” notes rising and accelerating, broken by short pause, followed by a series of shorter but rapidly rising higher-pitched notes frequently run together, and lasting 10–12 seconds or more. Several harsh and drawn-out buzzing and chattering notes typical of genus.

Breeding

No information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Banda Sea Islands EBA. Fairly common. Status on Damar uncertain; an ornithological expedition to the island in Aug 2001 failed to find this species.
Distribution of the Black-bibbed Monarch - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Black-bibbed Monarch

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Clement, P. (2020). Black-bibbed Monarch (Symposiachrus mundus), 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.blbmon2.01
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