Green Broadbill
Calyptomena viridis
Luminous green bird with an oddly umbrella-like head shape, found in lowland forests. Male has black wingbars and a dark “comma” behind the eye. Female is paler green and plainer overall, with no dark markings. In Borneo, overlaps with Hose’s and Whitehead’s Broadbills, both of which tend to be found at higher elevations. In Green Broadbill, note the lack of black on females in any plumage, the clear bars on the wings instead of spots, and the overall larger size. Gives soft, bouncy hooting notes, often in series.
Identification
The bird is about 17 cm long, plumaged in brilliant green with a black ear patch, widely gaped bill, rounded head, short tail and three black bars on each wing. The beak itself is very weak and almost hidden by the crest above it. Both sexes are similar. The female is duller and has no black markings on its ear patch and wing coverts.
Taxonomy
There are three subspecies recognized:<p>Prior to revisions by the International Ornithological Congress in 2022, the mainland subspecies went by the name caudacuta, while viridis referred to the Greater Sundaic subspecies. Based on several previous studies finding problems with this nomenclature, the International Ornithological Congress replaced caudacuta with viridis, while gloriosa replaced the former viridis.
- Scientific name
- Calyptomena viridis
- Authority
- Raffles, 1822
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Calyptomenidae
- Genus
- Calyptomena
Range and habitat
The green broadbill is distributed in broadleaved evergreen forests of Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula where it frequents lowland and lower montane rainforest.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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