Joe Kahlo
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.
