From Opus

Photo by Matalevu
Photo showing an adult male bird. Taken: Pacific Harbour, Fiji.

Myiagra vanikorensis

[edit] Identification

13 cm. Dark blue-black head and throat, back, tail and wings, faded red belly, white rump, large, slightly hooked black bill and black legs. Female is similar, but paler overall (orange instead of red, slate grey instead of dark blue) and with the orange of the belly also coming up the throat as far as the bill. There is some variation based on subspecies.

[edit] Distribution

Santa Cruz Islands, in the southern Solomon Islands and the islands of Fiji.

[edit] Taxonomy

Subspecies: M. v. vanikorensis - Santa Cruz Island, Solomon Islands

M. v. kandavensis - Kadavu, Beqa and Vatulele, Fiji

M. v. dorsalis - Northern Lau Group

M. v. townsendi - Southern Lau Group

M. v. rufiventris - Rest of Fiji

[edit] Habitat

Forests and gardens.

[edit] Behaviour

Both sexes build the small cup nest from plant fibres, grass stems and roots, decorated on the outside with lichen and leaves and lined with animal hair, placed high in a tree on a horizontal branch. 1-2 pinkish-white freckled eggs are laid and are incubated by both parents; the young are cared for by both parents too.

The diet includes insects, lizards and small fruits.

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on the ABID