Carterornis chrysomela (Lesson & Garnot, 1827)

Bishop, K. David, 2023, The avifauna of Biak Island, Papua, Indonesia with comments on status, conservation, natural history and taxonomy, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 143 (1), pp. 3-62 : 50

GOLDEN MONARCH Carterornis chrysomela #

Range C. c. kordensis Biak, Supiori.

Taxonomy The Biak population is a well-differentiated taxon in which the sexes are very similar in having attractive, deep orange plumage. The nearest populations occur on neighbouring mainland New Guinea; however, Mayr & Meyer de Schauensee (1939) thought that kordensis is most closely related to nominate chrysomela of New Ireland, in the Bismarcks ( Papua New Guinea). Beehler & Pratt (2016) suggested it may warrant treatment as a separate species.

Status Biak endemic subspecies. Widespread and common. Obtained by most collectors and recorded by most visitors. Invariably seen in pairs, often in mixed flocks of insectivores, in well-developed secondary, selectively logged and primary lowland forest, but absent from scrub and poorly developed secondary woodland, to c. 610 m ( Mayr & Meyer de Schauensee 1939).

Breeding 5 October 2016: pair with a juvenile in the Warafri area (D. Beadle, eBird checklist S32309891).