Kolombangara monarch

The Kolombangara monarch (Symposiachrus browni), or Brown's monarch, is a species of bird in the family Monarchidae. It is endemic to Solomon Islands. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. It was formerly considered as conspecific with the Vella Lavella monarch.

Kolombangara monarch
Illustration by William Matthew Hart
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Monarchidae
Genus:	Symposiachrus
Species:	S. browni
Binomial name
Symposiachrus browni (Ramsay, 1883)
Subspecies
See text
Synonyms
Monarcha browni Monarcha kulambangrae Symposiarchus browni

Taxonomy and systematics

This species was originally placed in the genus Monarcha until moved to Symposiachrus in 2009.^[2]

Two subspecies are recognised:^[2]

• S. b. browni (Ramsay, EP, 1883) – Kolombangara, New Georgia, Vangunu and satellites (east, south New Georgia group, central west Solomon Islands)
• S. b. meeki (Rothschild & Hartert, EJO, 1905) – Rendova and Tetepare Islands (southwest New Georgia group, central west Solomon Islands)

The Vella Lavella monarch was formerly considered as a subspecies.^[2]