Myiagra alecto
The Shining Flycatcher (Myiagra alecto) is a striking passerine bird, renowned for its strong sexual dimorphism and iridescent plumage. Males are entirely glossy black, often appearing purplish-blue in certain lights, earning them the 'shining' moniker. Females, in stark contrast, boast a glossy black head, back, and tail, set against a rich rufous-chestnut breast and flanks, with a clean white belly. These medium-sized birds typically measure 14-18 cm in length and weigh 12-18 grams, charact...
Found primarily in tropical and subtropical lowlands, inhabiting mangrove forests, paperbark swamps, dense riverine vegetation, and moist lowland forests, almost invariably near water.
Feeds almost exclusively on insects, including flies, beetles, moths, and caterpillars, captured primarily by aerial hawking.
Shining Flycatchers are diurnal and highly active insectivores, constantly flitting through the understory or along watercourses. Their primary foraging strategy is aerial hawking, darting out from a perch to snatch insects in mid-flight, though they also glean prey from foliage or bark. During t...
The Shining Flycatcher is widely distributed across northern and eastern Australia, New Guinea, the Moluccas, Lesser Sundas, Bismarck Archipelago, and Solomon Islands. In Australia, its range extends from the Kimberley region of Western Australia, across the Top End of the Northern Territory, thr...
Least Concern
- The male Shining Flycatcher's glossy black plumage often exhibits iridescent blue or purple sheens under specific lighting conditions, giving it a truly 'shining' appearance. - The female's bold contrast of black, rufous-chestnut, and white makes her one of the most distinctly patterned flycatc...