From Opus

Photo by rebestir
Upolu, Samoa, 2012

Myiagra albiventris

[edit] Identification

Length: 15cm.

Small Flycatcher (Monarch). Dark body, with a blue sheen. Rufous breast and a striking white vent. Female paler and rufous covers throat only. Small, black bill and legs.

[edit] Distribution

Birdlife International sites this species as Vulnerable. It is endemic to Samoa (not American Samoa). Was common in the 80s, but has undergone a disastrous decline since the cyclones of 1990-91.

[edit] Taxonomy

Monotypic.

[edit] Habitat

Mostly rainforest, but likes to perch in clearings. Can visit quiet villages, which tend to be set in rainforest anyway.

[edit] Behaviour

Voice: Fluty whistling song. Buzzing call, which often alternates. One should see this species, despite it's scarcity. It tends to perch in the open. Small and active.

[edit] External Links