These pictures were taken from a hide in Karnala.  All pictures are edited for clarity and no objects were removed or added. The picture is however cropped to suit my needs. Since most of the information about birds are available on the net, i have tried to consolidate them here in the writeup with the relevant links to the source. If there are any errors, please do let me know so i can correct them. 

It was amazing to watch the female protecting the chicks inside the nest from the pouring rain( Pic 1) . We waited for sometime and got the call from the male monarch, and they exchanged places ( Pic 2). The male brought food to the chicks and fed them ( Pic 3) and now it is the males turn to protect the chicks from the rain ( pic 4).

The black-naped monarch (Hypothymis azurea) has several unique aspects:

Sexual Dimorphism

The male and female black-naped monarchs exhibit striking sexual dimorphism

– The adult male has a distinctive azure-blue plumage with a black nape patch and a narrow black half-collar (“gorget”).
– The female is much duller, with olive-brown wings and lacking the black head markings. She has a light blue head but the rest of her plumage is grey-brown.

This difference in appearance between the sexes is very pronounced.

Nest Construction

The black-naped monarch builds a unique cup-shaped nest in the fork of a tree or bush

– The nest is made from cobwebs, moss, and fungi, with the female doing most of the nest-building while the male guards the nest site.
– Studies have found that the fungi in the nest yield antibiotics that help protect the chicks from infection
– The nest material is elastic, spongy and extremely lightweight

So the black-naped monarch incorporates antimicrobial fungi into its nest, an unusual behavior.

Feeding Behavior

The black-naped monarch is an insectivore that hunts by flycatching

– It flies out from a perch to catch insects in mid-air, similar to a flycatcher.
– When hunting, the female flies out more frequently and vigorously than the male

This flycatching hunting technique is common but the gender differences in feeding activity are notable.

In summary, the black-naped monarch stands out for its striking sexual dimorphism, its use of antimicrobial fungi in nest construction, and the differences between males and females in plumage and feeding behavior. These unique aspects make it an interesting species to study.

References:
1. https://ebird.org/species/blnmon1?siteLanguage=en_IN
2. https://animalia.bio/black-naped-monarch
3. https://www.thainationalparks.com/species/black-naped-monarch
4. https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/blnmon1/cur/introduction
5. https://www.tbsnews.net/features/panorama/black-naped-monarch-sovereign-who-never-abandoned-indian-subcontinent-450810