Island Monarch (Monarcha cinerascens) [XC68731]
by Frank Lambert from Talaud, Indonesia (call)
Island Monarch (Monarcha cinerascens) [XC138463]
by Todd Mark from Northeast Kisar Island, Terselatan, Maluku Barat Daya, Maluku, Indonesia (song)
Breeding Season (Guide)
Does not breed in Australia.
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Subspecies
Several authors have proposed that the species should be treated as monotypic or, alternatively, restricted to just nominate race and three others, from very pale perpallidus to dark impediens and an intermediate fulviventris (with wide degree of variation within and between the island forms).
Other proposed subspecies are jacobii (from Talaud Is), disjunctus (northern Sumbawa, islands in Flores Sea), intercedens (Tukangbesi Is), harterti (Moluccas), brunneus (Great Banda, in southern Moluccas) and kisserensis (eastern Lesser Sundas), all synonymized with nominate.
commutatus Brüggemann, 1876 - Islands of Sangihe, Siau, Mayu and Tifore.
inornatus (Lesson, R & Garnot, 1828) - Western Papuan Is, north-western New Guinea and Aru Is.
steini Stresemann & Paludan, 1932 - Numfor I (Geelvink Bay), in north-western New Guinea.
geelvinkianus Meyer, AB, 1884 - Biak I andYapen I (in Geelvink Bay).
fuscescens Meyer, AB, 1884 - Islands off northern New Guinea.
nigrirostris Neumann, 1929 - North-eastern New Guinea and islands.
fulviventris Hartlaub, 1868 - Western Bismarck Archipelago (Anchorite, Ninigo and Admiralty Is).
perpallidus Neumann, 1924 - Emirau and Tench Islands, St Matthias Group, Tingwon Is, New Hanover, New Ireland, Tabar Is and Lihir Is.
impediens Hartert, 1926 - Islets off eastern Bismarck Archipelago south to Solomon Is.
rosselianus Rothschild & Hartert, 1916 - Trobriand Is, D’Entrecasteaux Is and Louisiade Archipelago.
Similar Species
With immature Black-faced Monarch (Monarcha melanopsis) which lacks of a prominent pale spot ahead of the eye and has a dark bill.
Compare Images
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
BirdLife International Species Factsheet