Restless Flycatcher | |
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Information | |
Range | southern and eastern Australia. |
Scientific Classification | |
Kingdom | Animalia |
Class | Aves |
Order | Passeriformes |
Family | Monarchidae |
Genus | Myiagra |
Species | Myiagra inquieta |
Conservation Status | |
Least Concern |
The Restless flycatcher (Myiagra inquieta), is a monarch flycatcher in the Monarchidae family.
Also known colloquially as razor grinder, scissors grinder or dishwasher on account of its unusual call, the restless flycatcher was first described by ornithologist John Latham in 1802. Its specific epithet is derived from the Latin inquietus 'restless'. Populations from northern [[wikipedia:Australia|Australia and New Guinea, formerly considered a distinctive subspecies, are now separated as the paperbark flycatcher (Myiagra nana), with which it forms a superspecies.
It is found in southern and eastern Australia. It is about 20 cm (8 in) long, with a glossy dark blue crown, a grey back and white underparts. It is similar to the willie wagtail, though the lack of a black throat and white eyebrow are distinguishing features. Its main food is insects.
This bird builds a cup-shaped nest from shredded bark and grasses, matted and bound with spider-webbing. Linings used are soft bark, grasses, hair or feathers. It is often decorated with lichen, strips of bark or spiders' egg sacs. The nest site is in the fork of a well-foliaged tree mostly near or overhanging water, though it can be up to twenty or more metres above the ground.