Spectacled Monarch ( Nesting )

Description:

The Spectacled Monarch is blue-grey above, with a black face mask that extends across both eyes in a 'clover-leaf' pattern, rufous (red-orange) breast, white underparts and a black tail with white outer tips. Immature birds lack the black face and have a grey throat. The north Queensland subspecies albiventris has a rufous upper breast sharply defined from more extensive white underparts.

Habitat:

The Spectacled Monarch prefers thick understorey in rainforests, wet gullies and waterside vegetation, as well as mangroves.

Notes:

Feeding: The Spectacled Monarch feeds on insects, foraging mostly below the canopy in foliage and on tree trunks or vines. Breeding: The Spectacled Monarch builds a small cup nest of fine bark, plant fibres, moss and spider web in a tree fork or in hanging vines, 1 m - 6 m above the ground, often near water.