Shining Flycatcher Myiagra alecto Scientific name definitions

17–19 cm; 20 g. Male nominate race has plumage entirely iridescent blue-black; iris dark brown; bill slaty-blue, sometimes small black tip, interior of mouth vivid orange-red (very obvious when calling); legs dark slate-grey to black. Female has crown to below eye and to hindneck shiny blue-black, upperparts dark rufous-tinged brown, darker and more blackish wingtips, throat and underparts white. Immature is similar to female, but breast side, flanks and abdomen variably washed rusty. Races vary mainly in size, and in plumage of female: <em>chalybeocephala</em> has longer wing than nominate; manu­mudari is largest race, female has very pale rufous back; longirostris is relatively long-billed, female has rufous wash on flanks and undertail-coverts; rufolateralis female has pale rufous undertail-coverts and ochraceous flanks; lucida is rather large, with large bill, female has very pale upperparts; <em>melvillensis</em> female has dark grey upper mantle, dark rufous-brown on rest of upperparts, underparts all white, some have creamy undertail-coverts; <em>wardelli</em> is similar to last but brighter rufous-brown above (including wing and tail), buffier on flanks, vent and undertail-coverts.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Swamp-forest, forest edges, mangroves, streamside vegetation, monsoon forest and coastal scrub, paperbark (Melaleuca), pandanus, secondary growth; usually in vicinity of water, but will visit patches of rainforest and monsoon forest. Primarily tropical lowlands in Australia; in New Guinea mostly to 150 m, locally in hills and lower mountains to 1280 m. In Bismarck Archipelago occurs in lowland and montane forest at up to 720 m on New Ireland. To 1220 m on Karkar I, occupying a wider niche there in the absence of competitors in the depauperate island avifauna.

Sedentary.

Largely insectivorous ; some fruit, small molluscs and crustaceans may be taken. Tends to keep to middle and low levels in dense vegetation; forages at 1–24 m on Karkar and Bagabag I. Forages also along line of rising tide where water disturbs prey, often on bare mud. Very active, with much calling, also much tail-flicking and wing-flicking to disturb prey. Catches arthropods by hovering, gleaning and flycatching from leaves, palm fronds and grasses. Inquisitive; tail often flicked, waved or elevated, and crest raised.

Very vocal, with extensive and varied repertoire. In Australia a monotonous, loud, ringing “teuee teuee teuee teuee teuee” series of whistled notes, often repeated; a rasping, harsh “chee whit chee” followed by a tearing, scolding “tshhertsher” series; a 4-note slower “tiu tiu tiu tiu” musical whistled series and a very slow harsher variant of the song phrase, “teuee teuee teuee teuee”. In New Guinea , one call described as a loud, drawn-out, downslurred, very harsh rasping note, and another as nasal upslurred “zweeee”.

Breeds in Aug–Apr wet season in Australia, and similarly in New Guinea (where dates of rainy season vary with locality). Nest a deep tightly woven cup of bark and fibres, moss, rootlets or twigs, bound with cobwebs and decorated with bark flakes and lichen, often well camouflaged but may be quite obvious, and frequently sited on small fork horizontal branch or vine, often over water; preferred trees are mangroves and paperbarks. Clutch usually 2–3 eggs, white (sometimes faint greenish or bluish tinge) with olive-brown to dull slaty, grey or pale lavender spots and blotches and faint underlying slaty or lilac markings, mostly at large end, 20·8 × 15·2 mm; incubation by both sexes, period at least 12 days; both also brood and feedchicks, no information on duration of nestling period. Nests parasitized by Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus).

Not globally threatened. Common over much of range; a characteristic species of tropical streams and rivers.