Vanikoro Flycatcher

Overview

The Vanikoro flycatcher (Myiagra vanikorensis) is a species of monarch flycatcher in the family Monarchidae. It has a slightly disjunct distribution, occurring on Vanikoro island in the southern Solomon archipelago and across various parts of Fiji.

Identification

• A small passerine measuring 13 cm in length and weighing around 13 g.
• Features a large, slightly hooked black bill and black legs.
• Males have dark blue-black plumage on the head, throat, back, tail, and wings, with a washed-out red belly and white rump.
• Females are similar but paler, with slate-grey upperparts and an orange belly that extends up the throat; juveniles resemble females but have white scalloping on the wings.

Habitat

The species naturally occurs in forest and forest edge habitats from sea level up to 1100 m. It is highly adaptable and tolerates human-altered environments, including gardens and cultivated areas, provided a few trees remain. It remains common across most of Fiji and is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Diet

This insectivorous bird forages by sallying from perches to snatch insects from the air or the undersides of leaves. Its diet is supplemented by lizards and small fruits. Individuals, pairs, or small groups forage in the canopy in undisturbed forests or around buildings in disturbed areas, displaying high inquisitiveness.

Did you know?

The nest is a small cup constructed from plant fibres, grass stems, and roots, decorated externally with lichen and leaves and lined with animal hair. Both sexes participate in nest construction, incubation, and chick rearing, which occurs from September to February in Fiji.