Black-naped monarch

The black-naped monarch or black-naped blue flycatcher is a passerine bird belonging to the family of monarch flycatchers found in southern and south-eastern Asia. They are sexually dimorphic, with the male having a distinctive black patch on the back of the head and a narrow black half collar ("necklace"), while the female is duller with olive brown wings and lacking the black markings on the head. They have a call that is similar to that of the Asian paradise flycatcher, and in tropical forest habitats, pairs may join mixed-species foraging flocks. Populations differ slightly in plumage colour and sizes.

Distribution

Region

South and Southeast Asia

Typical Environment

Occurs from the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and southern China to Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It inhabits moist broadleaf forests, forest edges, secondary growth, riverine woodland, and well-vegetated gardens near forest. Birds use the understory to mid-canopy, often perching in shaded areas to sally after flying insects. It readily joins mixed-species foraging flocks in tropical forest interiors.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 1800 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size14–16 cm

Wing Span20–24 cm

Male Weight0.013 kg

Female Weight0.012 kg

Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

The black-naped monarch is a lively forest flycatcher of South and Southeast Asia, often accompanying mixed-species flocks as it hunts insects. Males are a striking soft blue with a distinctive black nape patch and narrow half-collar, while females are duller and lack the black markings. The species builds a neat, camouflaged cup nest bound with spider silk and often adorned with lichens. Its clear, liquid whistles can resemble the calls of the Asian paradise flycatcher.

Gallery

H. a. montana at nest in Thailand

Black-naped monarch feeding its nestlings at Wilpattu national park – Sri Lanka

Male

Female

Behaviour

Temperament

active and inquisitive

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with frequent sallies from low to mid-level perches

Social Behavior

Typically seen as pairs or family groups and commonly joins mixed-species flocks outside the breeding season. Monogamous pairs build a small cup nest on a forked branch, bound with spider silk and often decorated with lichens for camouflage. Both sexes incubate and feed the young, and they defend a small territory during breeding.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Song is a series of clear, liquid whistles and sweet, piping notes delivered from shaded perches. Calls include sharp chips and soft, musical phrases that can resemble the Asian paradise flycatcher.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Black-naped oriole

The black-naped oriole is a passerine bird in the oriole family that is found in many parts of Asia. There are several distinctive populations within the wide distribution range of this species and in the past the slender-billed oriole was included as a subspecies. Unlike the Indian golden oriole which only has a short and narrow eye-stripe, the black-naped oriole has the stripe broadening and joining at the back of the neck. Males and females are very similar although the wing lining of the female is more greenish. The bill is pink and is stouter than in the golden oriole.

Black-naped tern

The black-naped tern is an oceanic tern mostly found in tropical and subtropical areas of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean. They are rarely found inland. It was described from the islands around Sumatra. It is most closely related to roseate tern S. dougallii and white-fronted tern S. striata.

Black-necked crane

The black-necked crane is a medium-sized crane in Asia that breeds on the Tibetan Plateau and remote parts of India and Bhutan. It is 139 cm (55 in) long with a 235 cm (7.71 ft) wingspan, and it weighs 5.5 kg (12 lb). It is whitish-gray, with a black head, red crown patch, black upper neck and legs, and white patch to the rear of the eye. It has black primaries and secondaries. Both sexes are similar. Some populations are known to make seasonal movements. It is revered in Buddhist traditions and culturally protected across much of its range. A festival in Bhutan celebrates the bird while the Indian union territory of Ladakh has designated it as the state bird.

Black-necked grebe

The black-necked grebe or eared grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds. It was described in 1831 by Christian Ludwig Brehm. Its breeding plumage features distinctive ochre-coloured feathers which extend behind its eye and over its ear coverts. The rest of the upper parts, including the head, neck, and breast, are coloured black to blackish brown. The flanks are tawny rufous to maroon-chestnut, and the abdomen is white. In its non-breeding plumage, this bird has greyish-black upper parts, including the top of the head and a vertical stripe on the back of the neck. The flanks are also greyish-black. The rest of the body is a white or whitish colour. The juvenile has more brown in its darker areas. This species is present in parts of Africa, Eurasia, and the Americas.