Overview

Palau Flycatcher: Small monarch flycatcher with orange front, face, around eye, on throat, and on breast. Gray-white belly and vent. Blue-gray on back of crown, nape, back, and rump. Brown-gray wings and tail. Broad bill. Broad, medium-length wings. Medium-length tail. Female and juvenile like male but duller, more white on front and throat.

Voice Text

"zhrick, zhrick"

• The Palau Flycatcher is only found on the island of Palau.
• The Palauan name, Charmelachull, means "animal of the rain" and references this bird's tendency to sing in the rain.
• This bird has been featured on a number of Palauan postage stamps.
• A group of flycatchers has many collective nouns, including an "outfield", "swatting", "zapper", and "zipper" of flycatchers.

• Barn Swallow (Palau)

Monarch-flycatchers (Monarchidae)

ORDER

Most small birds such as fantails, swallows, whistlers, and monarch-flycatchers are members of the one hundred and eighteen families in the largest taxonomic order of

birds; the PASSERIFORMES (pronounced pas-ser-i-FOR-meez).

FAMILY TAXONOMY

The monarch-flycatchers are placed in the monarchidae (pronounced mon-ARK-i-dee), a group of one hundred seven species (including five extinct species) in seven genera found in sub-Saharan Africa, southern and eastern Asia, Australasia, and many islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

SOUTH PACIFIC-PALAU

Thirty-four species of monarch-flycatchers in eight genera are found in the South Pacific, five species of which are extinct. One species, the Palau Flycatcher occurs in Palau.

KNOWN FOR

Members of this family are known for their foraging behavior of sallying out from a perch to catch small insects in the air, and presence on many small islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

PHYSICAL

Members of the monarchidae are small birds with short to medium, flat beaks with a broad base, short wings, long tails, and short legs.

COLORATION

Such colors as gray, black, red-brown, blue, and white are commonly seen in the plumages of monarch-flycatchers. At least one species, the Golden Monarch of New Guinea, also has bright yellow plumage.

GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT

Most members of the monarchidae family live in tropical evergreen forest although a few species can also be found in savannah and open habitats.

MIGRATION

Most species of monarch-flycatchers are sedentary although a few species that breed in Australia, Japan, and eastern China migrate to warmer climates during the winter months.

HABITS

Monarch-flycatchers occur as individuals or in pairs and do not form large flocks. However, most species do commonly join flocks of other bird species. Insects are caught in flight by sallying into the air from a perch.

CONSERVATION

Although the Palau Flycatcher has a stable population, unfortunately, thirty-five species of monarch-flycatchers are Near Threatened or threatened with extinction. Most of these species are island endemics that are threatened by deforestation in their naturally small ranges.

INTERESTING FACTS

Monarch-flycatchers occur on most islands in the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, many islands having one or more endemic members of this family. Despite their name, monarch-flycatchers are not related to tyrant-flycatchers. Some members of this family build their nests close to those of aggressive species to provide additional protection for their young. Although the Magpie-Larks of Australia and New Guinea are in this family, they are the only members that build nests with mud, and that live in open habitats and urban areas.

Artist

Michael Oberhofer