Not Threatened
Taxonomy: Monarcha hebetior E. J. O. Hartert, 1924, Mussau, St Matthias Group, Bismarck Archipelago. Forms a species pair with M. alecto; both sometimes placed in a separate genus, Piezorhynchus. Race eichhorni possibly a separate species, females being quite distinctive. Three subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * hebetior (E. J. O. Hartert, 1924) - St Matthias, in Bismarck Archipelago. * eichhorni (E. J. O. Hartert, 1924) - New Hanover, New Ireland and New Britain (Bismarck). * cervinicolor (Salomonsen, 1964) - Djaul I, off NW New Ireland.
Largely insectivorous; some fruit, small molluscs and crustaceans may be taken. Tends to keep to middle and low levels in dense vegetation; forages at 1 – 24 m on Karkar and Bagabag I. Forages also along line of rising tide where water disturbs prey, often on bare mud. Very active, with much calling, also much tail-flicking and wing-flicking to disturb prey. Catches arthropods by hovering, gleaning and flycatching from leaves, palm fronds and grasses. Inquisitive; tail often flicked, waved or elevated, and crest raised.