Chestnut-breasted Malkoha
Phaenicophaeus curvirostris
Combination of a bright red face, staring pale eyes, and chunky bicolored bill lends this lowland and foothill forest species a clownlike countenance. Dark glossy greenish above and rich chestnut-brown below, this oversized cuckoo clumps about amongst foliage, looking rather squirrel-like in its movements. Sometimes joins mixed flocks. Gives a range of strange calls, including hollow knocks and hoarse crowing and mewing notes.
Identification
Measuring 42–49 cm (17–19 in) in length, the chestnut-breasted malkoha has a large, curved, pale yellow upper mandible and darker red or black lower mandible, and a bare red patch of rough skin around the eye. The head is grey and wings are dark green fading to blue with age. Its underparts and rump are chestnut, and feet are dark grey. Little sexual dimorphism is seen, as the male and female are similar in plumage, although the male has a pale blue iris and the female yellow.
Taxonomy
The chestnut-breasted malkoha was first described from a specimen collected in western Java by English naturalist George Shaw in 1810 as Cuculus curvirostris, before the genus Phaenicophaeus was erected by English naturalist James Francis Stephens in 1815. Its specific epithet is derived from the Latin words curvus "curved", and rostrum "beak". The genus name is derived from the ancient Greek phoiniko- "crimson", and phaes "eyes" or "face", referring to the red-faced malkoha. However, the 'œ' was transcribed incorrectly as 'æ'.<p>Six subspecies are recognised:
- Scientific name
- Phaenicophaeus curvirostris
- Authority
- (Shaw, 1810)
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Genus
- Phaenicophaeus
Range and habitat
It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the western Philippines, and southern Thailand.<p>Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. It resides mainly in the middle story in dense foliage. Much of its forest habitat is being cleared.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Short-billed Canastero
Asthenes baeri
Medium-sized, rather nondescript bird, plain dull brown with a tail that is usually held cocked. Note the orange throat patch. Inhabits arid areas with scrub and woodlands, where it forages both in trees and on the ground. The song is a high nasal trill. The similar Sharp-billed Canastero has a longer bill and tail and an indistinct eyebrow.
Gray-green Bushshrike
Chlorophoneus bocagei
A medium-sized arboreal bushshrike that is dark gray or black above with a white eyebrow and white underparts, sometimes with a buffy breast. Prefers disturbed and forest edge habitats with large trees, where it forages deliberately in the foliage. Often in pairs, sometimes accompanying larger species of bushshrike. Gives a rising chatter with a descending whistle at the end, as well as other chatter notes and whistles.
Fraser's Sunbird
Deleornis fraseri
A sunbird masquerading as a warbler, this medium-sized sunbird of forest and forest edge is often found in small groups or mixed-species flocks searching the understory deliberately for insects. Overall yellow-green with more olive tones to the head. Has distinctive pale spectacles around its eye and a large, slightly decurved bill. Could be confused with longbills, but note Fraser’s Sunbird’s decurved bill and noticeable spectacles around the eyes. Calls include a short, dry “tiktiktik!” The song is a longer set of sunbird-like notes with noticeable pauses in between, varying in quality from clear whistles to trills: “dree, djier, drtil, drtil.”
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