The Tinian monarch is a species of bird in the family Monarchidae. It is endemic to the Northern Mariana Islands.
Region
Mariana Islands, Micronesia
Typical Environment
Restricted to Tinian, where it occupies native limestone forest, secondary woodland, coastal scrub, and extensive tangantangan plantations. It readily uses forest edges and disturbed areas as long as there is a multi-layered canopy and understory. Nests are typically placed in small to medium trees in protected forks. The species forages from near ground level to the midstory and will also venture into gardens and plantations adjacent to forest.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Endemic to Tinian in the Northern Mariana Islands, this monarch flycatcher adapted remarkably well to second-growth habitats after large-scale clearing during World War II. It now thrives in tangantangan (Leucaena leucocephala) thickets and disturbed forests. The greatest looming threat is the possible introduction of the invasive brown tree snake, which devastated birds on nearby Guam. It remains a year-round resident and is often one of the most common forest birds on Tinian.
Temperament
active and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief sallies between perches
Social Behavior
Typically seen singly or in pairs, with pairs maintaining and defending small territories year-round. During breeding, they build a neat cup nest in a forked branch and both parents participate in care. They occasionally join mixed-species flocks while foraging but remain fairly site-attached.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of thin, high-pitched whistles and short, sweet phrases interspersed with sharp chip notes. Calls are frequently given while foraging and become more persistent during the breeding season.
Plumage
Olive-brown upperparts with a slightly grayer head, whitish throat and belly, and a warm buff wash across the breast and flanks. Tail and wings are darker brown with faint pale edging or weak wingbars. Plumage is plain overall with a neat, compact appearance and a broad-based flycatcher bill.
Diet
Primarily takes small insects and other arthropods, gleaned from leaves, twigs, and bark. It also makes short sallies to snatch flying insects and will hover briefly to pick prey from foliage. Foraging is methodical, moving perch-to-perch through the understory and midstory.
Preferred Environment
Edges and interiors of secondary forests, tangantangan thickets, and mixed woodland with a dense understory. Often forages along forest margins and in adjacent plantations or gardens where insect prey is abundant.
