Meet the black-naped monarch, a slim and agile bird found in southern Asia.
Most commonly characterised by its males sporting a bright blue plumage and a distinctive black patch on the back of its head.
Whereas the females are mainly greyish-brown without the black patch, they both stretch to around 16cm long.
They have a distinctive call, similar to the Asian paradise flycatcher bird, which means they are known to join in pairs and make mixed-species foraging flocks.
These unique birds travel across the tropical areas of South Asia, from Iran to Sri Lanka to the Philippines. They prefer thick forests and habitats with a lot of wood.
The black-naped monarchs breeding season is in India from May to July. They lay around 2-3 eggs in their nest.
Their nest ‘cup’ is usually lined with filaments of webbing and fungi, these are known to produce antibiotics and can help protect the young from infection.
This ingenious nest is built by the mother while the father guards. Both parents incubate and both feed the young.
