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Pale-blue monarch
female
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Monarchidae
Genus:	Hypothymis
Species:	H. puella
Binomial name
Hypothymis puella (Wallace, 1863)
Subspecies
See text
Synonyms
Hypothymis azurea puella Myiagra puella

The pale-blue monarch (Hypothymis puella) is a small passerine bird in the family Monarchidae endemic to eastern Indonesia.

Taxonomy and systematics

The pale-blue monarch was originally described in the genus Myiagra and then classified as subspecies of the widespread black-naped monarch, Hypothymis azurea, until split by the IOC in 2013 to describe a new species. Some other authourities have not yet adopted this species split. The alternate name Moluccan monarch should not be confused with the species of the same name, Symposiachrus bimaculatus. Additional alternate names for the pale-blue monarch include Pacific monarch (a name shared with the buff-bellied monarch), Pacific small monarch and small monarch.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:

• H. p. puella - (Wallace, 1863): Found on Sulawesi and adjacent islands
• H. p. blasii - Hartert, 1898: Found in the Banggai archipelago.

Behaviour and ecology

The pale-blue monarch is a forest species which builds a small cup nest. It has short legs and sits very upright whilst perched prominently, like a shrike. It is insectivorous, often hunting by flycatching.

References

1. "Species 3.1-3.5 « IOC World Bird List". www.worldbirdnames.org. Retrieved 2017-01-01.
2. "Hypothymis puella blasii - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-10-22.
3. "IOC World Bird List 6.3". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.6.3.

• IUCN Red List least concern species
• Hypothymis
• Endemic birds of Sulawesi
• Birds described in 1863