Photo: iNaturalist user: melianie_and_max / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Buff-bellied Monarch
Neolalage banksiana
Buff-bellied Monarch (Neolalage banksiana) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
The Buff-bellied Monarch (Neolalage banksiana) is a member of the Monarchidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 16.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Monarchidae Monarchs
- Genus Neolalage
- Species banksiana
Where it lives
Vanua Lava (Banks Is., northern Vanuatu) to Efate (north to south-central Vanuatu)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Monarchidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Buff-bellied Monarch is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Buff-bellied Monarch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Buff-bellied Monarch (Neolalage banksiana) is a member of the Monarchidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Vanua Lava (Banks Is., n Vanuatu) to Efate (n to sc Vanuatu).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16.8 g, with a wing length of about 7.6 cm and a tail of around 6.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 9,880 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Buff-bellied Monarch?
The Buff-bellied Monarch is a small bird that weighs around 16.8 g.
Where does the Buff-bellied Monarch live?
The Buff-bellied Monarch is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Vanua Lava (Banks Is., n Vanuatu) to Efate (n to sc Vanuatu), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Buff-bellied Monarch belong to?
The Buff-bellied Monarch (Neolalage banksiana) belongs to the Monarchidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Buff-bellied Monarch eat?
The Buff-bellied Monarch is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Buff-bellied Monarch migrate?
The Buff-bellied Monarch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Buff-bellied Monarch endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Buff-bellied Monarch's range?
The Buff-bellied Monarch has a mapped global range of about 9,880 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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