Large, long tailed and almost entirely rufous monarch. Male has grey crown, plain warm rufous upper forehead and forecrown, face and neck side, black lower forehead, lores, chin and throat, may show paler area on upper breast, upperwing and tail deep rufous, iris dark, bill slate-coloured or slaty-bluish or bluish-black, legs and feet slate blue or black. Female is generally duller or browner than male, especially on head and face, and lacks black on foreahead, chin and throat. Juvenile is similar to female, but lacks greyish tinge on crown, has blackish bill, lower mandible yellowish or tipped bluish.
Not Threatened
Uncommon or local, with patchy distribution.
Large, long tailed and almost entirely rufous monarch. Male has grey crown, plain warm rufous upper forehead and forecrown, face and neck side, black lower forehead, lores, chin and throat, may show paler area on upper breast, upperwing and tail deep rufous, iris dark, bill slate-coloured or slaty-bluish or bluish-black, legs and feet slate blue or black. Female is generally duller or browner than male, especially on head and face, and lacks black on foreahead, chin and throat. Juvenile is similar to female, but lacks greyish tinge on crown, has blackish bill, lower mandible yellowish or tipped bluish.
18 cm
Taxonomy: Tchitrea rubiensis A. B. Meyer, 1874, Rubi, Geelvink Bay, New Guinea. Monotypic. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Distribution:
- N, WC & SW New Guinea.
Lowland rainforest and swamp forest, usually in forest interior, from sea level to 280 m in foothills.
Resident.
Food largely unknown, but mainly small to medium-sized invertebrates. Alone or in pairs, and in mixed flocks consisting mostly of other monarchids and warblers. Sluggish and fairly inactive, forages among foliage of lower to middle level of trees. Rarely hawks or pursues insect in flight.
Nest found in Aug, a mossy cup placed up to 3 m from ground in fork of small sapling.
Uncommon or local, with patchy distribution.