Monarchidae, Bonaparte, 1854

Andersen, Michael J., Fatdal, Lilly, Mauck III, William M. & Smith, Brian Tilston, 2017, An ornithological survey of Vanuatu on the islands of Éfaté, Malakula, Gaua, and Vanua Lava, Check List 13 (6), pp. 755-782 : 764-766

Monarchidae

Neolalage banksiana Matthews, 1928 , Buff-bellied Monarch: Figure 3F

The Buff-bellied Monarch is in a monotypic genus

that is endemic to Vanuatu ( Fig. 3F). It occurs from Éfaté north to the Banks Group and its IUCN status is Least Concern. Individuals were easily identified by their strik- ing black-and-white plumage with yellow underparts. Female plumage was slightly muted compared to males. This unmistakeably plumaged monarch-flycatcher was fairly common in forest understory at all sites except Gaua. The distribution of Buff-bellied Monarch mirrors closely that of Vanuatu Honeyeater, Gliciphila notabilis (with the exception of Éfaté), and it is curious that both are absent from Gaua. We observed them, often in vine tangles, in pairs or small family groups and they were frequently heard calling. The call is a long, quavering whistle similar to that given by Clytorhynchus shrikebills. Indeed, where these species overlapped, it was difficult to separate them by this call. Additionally, they gave a harsh, chattering call (e.g., see Macaulay Library 515702). Kratter et al. (2006) described a melodious song from Santo Island, but we never knowingly heard this vocalization. Many specimens showed evidence of breeding, including male specimens with enlarged testes and seminal vesicles and females with convoluted oviducts, suggesting recent or ongoing breeding. Stomach contents included arthropods and only 1 specimen, a female from Vanua Lava, was observed in molt (primaries).

Clytorhynchus pachycephaloides Elliot, 1870 , Southern Shrikebill: Figure 3G, H

The Southern Shrikebill occurs in Vanuatu and New Caledonia ( Fig. 3G). The Vanuatu subspecies (griscecens) is found on most islands in the country, including throughout the Banks and Torres groups; however, it is absent from Tanna and Aneityum in the far south, as well as Ambrym in the heart of the archipelago. It is a bird of forest understory where it forages for insects in vine tangles. It is a medium-sized, uniformly brown passerine with a large, gray, hooked bill and dingy white tail tips. Its IUCN status is Least Concern. We observed it in 3 of our 4 survey sites. Curiously, we did not detect it on Éfaté where the WSSE collected 12 Southern Shrikebill in June and July 1926. The whistled vocalizations are similar to those of Buff-bellied Monarch so it is plausible we overlooked vocal birds on Éfaté. We had no trouble locating and capturing multiple individuals at our 3 subsequent camps on Malakula, Gaua, and Vanua Lava, which suggests it was at least inconspicuous or locally absent on Éfaté. Both male specimens from Malakula had enlarged testes and seminal vesicles with no evidence of molt, suggesting they were in breeding condition. Our observations on Gaua suggested birds had just completed nesting. We observed several family groups, including juveniles with black bills and yellow gape flanges ( Fig. 3H) and 1 specimen had a bursa of Fabricius (9 × 3 mm). Three Gaua specimens were in molt. Stomach contents included arthropods.

Myiagra caledonica Bonaparte, 1857b , Melanesian Flycatcher: Figure 4A, B