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21

Spectacled Monarch

(Symposiarchus [Monarcha] trivirgatus)
Alternate name(s): "Spectacled Flycatcher", "Black-fronted Flycatcher",
"Pearly Flycatcher", "Black-winged Flycatcher"

Size: 15-16.5 cm
Weight: 10-16 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Spectacled Monarch at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "gouldii"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Spectacled Monarch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hillview Court Reserve, Dayboro, QLD, May 2020]

Near-frontal view of a Spectacled Monarch
[Limeburners Creek NP, NSW, October 2013]

Near-lateral view of a Spectacled Monarch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hillview Court Reserve, Dayboro, QLD, May 2020]

Lateral view of a Spectacled Monarch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Eungella NP, near Mackay, QLD, June 2021]

Lateral view of a Spectacled Monarch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill Forest Reserve, near Anstead, QLD, August 2017]

Lateral view of a Spectacled Monarch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2020]

Lateral view of a calling Spectacled Monarch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2020]

Lateral view of a Spectacled Monarch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[O'Reilly's Plateau, Lamington NP, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2020]

Lateral/ventral view of a Spectacled Monarch
[Limeburners Creek NP, NSW, October 2013]

Dorsal view of a Spectacled Monarch hiding in dark undergrowth
[Iluka NR, NSW, February 2012]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Spectacled Monarch (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Toonumbar State Forest, northern NSW, April 2017]

Near-frontal view of the same Spectacled Monarch as shown above (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Toonumbar State Forest, northern NSW, April 2017]

Lateral view of the same Spectacled Monarch as shown above (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Toonumbar State Forest, northern NSW, April 2017]

Lateral view of the same Spectacled Monarch as shown above (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Toonumbar State Forest, northern NSW, April 2017]

Race "melanorrhoa"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Spectacled Monarch (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Paluma Rainforest, near Townsville, QLD, September 2020]

Frontal view of a Spectacled Monarch (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kingfisher Park, Julatten, QLD, July 2013]

Near-frontal view of a Spectacled Monarch (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rocky Creek, Cairns, QLD, July 2013]

Near-lateral view of a Spectacled Monarch looking away from the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Julatten, QLD, August 2023]

Close-up lateral view of a Spectacled Monarch (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Maardja Boardwalk, Cape Tribulation, Daintree NP, QLD, October 2020]

Race "albiventris"

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Spectacled Monarch that has caught a spider (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Iron Range NP, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Sep - Feb Eggs: 2 Incubation period: 15 - 17 days Fledging age: ca. 11 days

The breeding season of Spectacled Monarchs depends on geographic latitude.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket Material: Bark strips, leaf skeletons, moss, webs, white spider cocoons; grass or fibre lining Height above ground: 1 - 4 m

Overview of the location of a Spectacled Monarch nest in a slender upright fork (photo courtesy of M. Miller)
[Paluma, near Townsville, QLD, November 2020]

View from above into a Spectacled Monarch nest (photo courtesy of M. Miller)
[Paluma, near Townsville, QLD, November 2020]

Disused Spectacled Monarch nest (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kingfisher Park, Julatten, QLD, November 2018]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 22 x 16 mm Colour: Off-white, with mid- to dark-brown speckles Shape: Tapered oval

Food, Diet

Like all other members of the Monarcha family, Spectacled Monarchs are insect hunters. They usually take them from foliage.

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Spectacled Monarch with its catch, a small caterpillar (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hillview Court Reserve, Dayboro, QLD, May 2020]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

specmon_20181014_3.m4a gouldii
(E NSW)
Contact calls(?) Q&A © MD
specmon_20181014_2.m4a gouldii
(E NSW)
Various, incl. contact calls(?) Q&A © MD
specmon_20181014.m4a gouldii
(E NSW)
Annoyed/squabbling © MD

More Spectacled Monarch sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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