Restless flycatcher

File:Restless Flycatcher Dayboro.JPG

Also known colloquially as razor grinder,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article887648 |title=Some Familiar Birds |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |date=10 September 1879 |access-date=9 August 2013 |page=3 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} scissors grinder, dishlicker or dishwasher on account of its unusual call,{{sfn|Boles|1988|p=349}} the restless flycatcher was first described by ornithologist John Latham in 1801 under the binomial name Turdus inquietus.{{cite book | last=Latham | first=John | author-link=John Latham (ornithologist) | year=1801 | title=Supplementum indicis ornithologici sive systematis ornithologiae | place=London | publisher=Leigh & Sotheby | language=la | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33261414 | page=xl }} Its specific epithet is derived from the Latin inquietus 'restless'.{{sfn|Simpson|1979|p=883}} Populations from northern Australia and New Guinea, formerly considered a distinctive subspecies, are now separated as the paperbark flycatcher (Myiagra nana), with which it forms a superspecies.{{sfn|Schodde|Mason|1999|pp=518–519}}{{sfn|Christidis|Boles|2008|p=200}}

It is about {{convert|20|cm|0|abbr=on}} long,{{Cite web|url=https://www.beautyofbirds.com/restlessflycatchers.html|title=Restless Flycatchers {{!}} Beauty of Birds|website=www.beautyofbirds.com|language=en|access-date=2018-10-25}} with a glossy dark blue crest, a grey-blue back and white underparts. It is similar to the willie wagtail, though the lack of a black throat, crest on head, white eyebrow and slenderer body shape are distinguishing features.{{Cite web|url=http://www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/restless-flycatcher|title=Restless Flycatcher {{!}} BirdLife Australia|website=www.birdlife.org.au|language=en|access-date=2018-10-25}}

The Restless Flycatcher is found throughout east, south-east and south-west Australia and Papua New Guinea. From Cairns in Far North Queensland into west of Central Queensland and most of New South Wales, Victoria, southern South Australia and south-west of Western Australia. During winter many south and south-eastern populations move further north.{{Cite web|title = Restless Flycatcher {{!}} BIRDS in BACKYARDS|url = http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Myiagra-inquieta|website = www.birdsinbackyards.net|access-date = 2016-02-20}} Its habitat is usually open and wooded forests, in river red gums near water, inland and coastal scrubs and some semi-urban environments.{{Cite book|title = The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia|last = Pizzey and Knight|first = Graham and Frank|publisher = Harper Collins|year = 2012|isbn = 9780732291938}}

Despite being described as of least concern by the IUCN, their population is decreasing. The exact number of individuals is unknown.

The restless flycatcher 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.{{sfn|Beruldsen|2003|p=369}} They will lay three, light-grey to white glossy eggs with brown or dark spots at the larger end.

The restless flycatcher feeds on insects, as well as other invertebrates such as spiders and centipedes and will feed alone or in pairs. It often hovers with its head and tail pointed downwards as it picks insects off from leaves, and it rarely goes to the ground, preferring to hunt insects from mid-canopy.

{{Reflist

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; References

; Cited texts

• {{cite book

| last = Beruldsen

| first = Gordon

| author-link = Gordon Beruldsen

| year = 2003

| title = Australian Birds: Their Nests and Eggs

| edition = revised

| publisher = self

| location = Kenmore Hills, Qld

| isbn = 978-0-646-42798-0

| oclc = 615122047

}}

• {{cite book

| last = Boles

| first = Walter E.

| year = 1988

| title = The Robins and Flycatchers of Australia

| publisher = Angus & Robertson

| location = Sydney

| isbn = 978-0-207-15400-3

| oclc = 59196420

}}

• {{cite book

| last1 = Christidis

| first1 = Les

| last2 = Boles

| first2 = Walter

| year = 2008

| title = Systematics and taxonomy of Australian birds

| publisher = CSIRO Publishing

| location = Melbourne

| isbn = 978-0-643-06511-6

| oclc = 488685950

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=SFP9P1i-PoEC&q=%22Myiagra+nana%22&pg=PA200

| access-date = 2011-05-25

}}

• {{cite book

| last1 = Schodde

| first1 = Richard

| last2 = Mason

| first2 = Ian J.

| year = 1999

| title = The Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines

| publisher = CSIRO Publishing

| location = Melbourne

| isbn = 978-0-643-06456-0

| oclc = 499953986

}}

• {{cite book

| last = Simpson

| first = D. P.

| year = 1979

| title = Cassell's Latin Dictionary

| publisher = Cassell Ltd.

| edition = 5th

| location = London

| isbn = 978-0-304-52257-6

| oclc = 7260402

}}

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{{Commons|Myiagra inquieta}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110611075147/http://www.aviceda.org/abid/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&fid=69&bid=1320 ABID Images]
• [http://ibc.lynxeds.com/species/restless-flycatcher-myiagra-inquieta Restless Flycatcher (Myiagra inquieta)] videos and photos at Internet Bird Collection

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restless flycatcher

Category:Birds of South Australia

Category:Birds of Western Australia

Category:Birds of New South Wales

Category:Birds of Victoria (state)

Category:Birds of Queensland

Category:Endemic birds of Australia

restless flycatcher