Lemon-bellied Flyrobin

Overview

The lemon-bellied flyrobin (Microeca flavigaster) is a small bird species in the family Petroicidae, also known as the lemon-bellied flycatcher. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Adults measure approximately 11.5 cm in length with similar plumage in both sexes.
• The nominate subspecies features lemon-yellow underparts, a white throat, a grey face with a white eyebrow stripe, and olive-brown upperparts.
• Subspecies tormenti is larger with a longer bill and tail, and lacks yellow pigmentation, having white underparts and more greyish upperparts.

Habitat

Found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, the species inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and mangrove forests. Its distribution ranges from the Ord River in western Australia to coastal Queensland, where it is also found in paperbark swamp forests and woodland.

Diet

An insectivore that hawks or sallies for prey in the foliage or dead branches of trees and shrubs, rarely feeding on the ground. It occasionally catches large insects exceeding 2 cm in length.

Did you know?

Subspecies tormenti, the Kimberley flyrobin, was considered a separate species for many years but was reclassified as a subspecies after hybrids were found between it and the nominate form near Cambridge Gulf.