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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Monarchidae
  4. ›
  5. Monarcha
  6. ›
  7. Black-faced Monarch
Black-faced Monarch
Photo · no rights reserved

BirdUp · Species

Black-faced Monarch

Monarcha melanopsis(Vieillot, 1818)

Updated 11 June 2026

Origin: Breeding Endemic
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Monarchidae
Genus
Monarcha

At a glance

The Black-faced Monarch is a small bird, about 16–20 cm long. It can be seen year-round.

Size
16–20 cm
Origin
Breeding Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Black-faced Monarch look like?

The Black-faced Monarch is a small bird, about 16–20 cm long and weighing 19–27 g.

The black-faced monarch is a passerine songbird in the family Monarchidae found along the eastern seaboard of Australia, and also New Guinea.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
16–20 cm
Weight
19–27 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Black-faced Monarch?

The Black-faced Monarch is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

Call

Martin Rady · Tweed - Pt B, AU-NS, AU

Call

jimchurches · Tallong NSW 2579, Australia

Call

jimchurches · Tallong NSW 2579, Australia

Call

Tim · Jamberoo NSW 2533, Australia

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Black-faced Monarch eat?

The Black-faced Monarch feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or alone.

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Black-faced Monarch live in Australia?

The Black-faced Monarch is found in Australia, recorded across 27 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingNorth-east QLD (south of Cape York Pen.) to south-east VIC (east Australia)

Non-breedingTo south-central and south-east New Guinea and satellites and Cape York Pen., north-east QLD (north-east Australia)

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Breeding
  • Resident
  • Vagrant
  • Passage

8 regions recorded