Hi interested birders,
Just back from China and I find
an interesting debate on a possible Hooded Monarch in the NT. I agree with Phil
Gregory that the bird photographed in the NT is clearly not a Hooded Monarch,
which is different structurally and in the patterning of black and white. The
bird appears to be an aberrant plumaged Leaden Flycatcher or possibly a
Leaden-Satin hybrid. I believe other experienced Territorian birders have come
to the same conclusion. This is clearly an interesting individual but definitely
not a Hooded Monarch from my field experience with this rare lowland rainforest
New Guinea endemic.
All the best
Dion
