A male Black-naped Monarch (Hypothymis azurea) on a small branch in the forest in Thailand


The Black-naped Monarch or Black-naped Blue Flycatcher (Hypothymis azurea) is a slim and agile passerine bird belonging to the family of monarch flycatchers. The species is sexually dimorphic with males having a distinctive black patch on the back of the head and a narrow black half collar ("necklace") while the female is duller and lacks the black markings. The black-naped monarch breeds across tropical southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and the Philippines. This species is usually found in thick forests and other well-wooded habitats. Two to three eggs are laid in a cup nest placed in the fork of a tree. The nest is often decorated with spider egg-cases.


Size: 3608px × 2405px
Location: Kaeng Krachan National Park, Petchburi Province, Western Thailand
Photo credit: © Robert Kennett / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, asia, asian, azurea, beautiful, bird, birding, birdwatching, black-naped, blue, color, colour, colourful, female, forest, hypothymis, kaeng, krachan, male, monarch, national, natural, nature, park, thai, thailand, wild, wildlife, woodland, woods