Flycatcher and Friends

Cruising in the garden this afternoon, I spotted this particularly handsome little bird; as it flitted from plant to plant, snapping up insects. And if pressed, I would've said that it was thoroughly enjoying itself. While I was taking the pics, it stopped and regarded me, with what can only be described as inquisitive intelligence. Quite the little moment.

Even though it's winter here in Northern Australia, - a dizzying array of insects were out and about - here's a small selection.


Flycatcher



Caper White



Palm Dart



Mycalesis



Common Grass Yellow



Flesh Fly



Darter


The fact is that the goal posts are continually moving when it comes to animal I.D's. I dunno why, but bird people are intensely intense, and strident about identifications. It might be because most of their personalities are as beige as their clothing, or perhaps they just like lists, words they can't pronounce, and being "RIGHT", at least for a bit.

Do NOT let that stop you from enjoying, and sharing the wildlife you find ... you're allowed to make mistakes, everyone does - that's what makes it fun.

Flycatchers are a member of groups of birds termed monarch flycatchers. This group is considered either as a subfamily Monarchinae, together with the fantails as part of the drongo family Dicruridae, or as a family Monarchidae in its own right. They are not closely related to either their namesakes, the Old World flycatchers of the family Muscicapidae; early molecular research in the late 1980s and early 1990s revealed the monarchs belong to a large group of mainly Australasian birds known as the Corvida parvorder comprising many tropical and Australian passerines.

More recently, the grouping has been refined somewhat as the monarchs have been classified in a 'Core corvine' group with the crows and ravens, shrikes, birds of paradise, fantails, drongos and mudnest builders.

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