Myiagra ferrocyanea
Not Threatened
Taxonomy: Myiagra ferrocyanea E. P. Ramsay, 1879, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.Closely related to and often considered to form a superspecies with M. rubecula, M. cervinicauda, M. caledonica, M. vanikorensis and M. albiventris. Four subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * cinerea (Mathews, 1928) - Buka I and Bougainville I. * ferrocyanea E. P. Ramsay, 1879 - Choiseul, Isabel and Guadalcanal, in Solomon Islands. * feminina Rothschild & E. J. O. Hartert, 1901 - New Georgia Is (W Solomons). * malaitae Mayr, 1931 - Malaita (E Solomons).
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.