Yellow-billed Blue-Magpie
Urocissa flavirostris
The southwestern counterpart of the Red-billed Blue-Magpie, this colorful long-tailed corvid also forages in noisy flocks. Similar in coloration to Red-billed, but Yellow-billed is paler blue overall, with a small white patch at the back of the crown instead of an extensive white stripe, and a bright yellow bill instead of a scarlet one. Primarily found in Himalayan hill forest, with disjunct populations in northwestern Myanmar and northern Vietnam.
Identification
Length 66 cm (26 in), including tail of about 46 cm (18 in). Sexes alike. Head, neck, and breast black, with a white patch on the nape; remainder of lower plumage white, faintly tinged with lilac; whole upper plumage purplish-blue, brighter on the wings and tail; flight-feathers tipped with white, along with white outermost wing feathers; tail long and graduated, with blue feathers tipped with white, except for the very long central pair which have a band of black in front of the white
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Urocissa flavirostris
- Authority
- (Blyth, 1846)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Corvidae
- Genus
- Urocissa
Range and habitat
The yellow-billed blue magpie is found throughout the Himalayas from Hazara to the Brahmaputra. It is divided into two sub-species. Of these, U. f. cucullata is the more common and is found from the Western boundary of the range to Western Nepal, being common through most of the hill stations of the Western Himalayas, breeding in a zone from 1,500 to 3,000 m (4,900 to 9,800 ft). The eastern form is found from Eastern Nepal eastwards and differs in that the under parts have a darker lilac tinge; its zone is slightly higher than that of the Western form, and it seldom occurs as low as 1,830 m (6,000 ft). It is a resident species, but during the winter months it usually moves to lower elevations. From Simla eastwards, the closely related red-billed blue magpie (Urocissa erythroryncha) is often found in the same areas as the yellow-billed species; it is particularly common about Mussoorie, Tehri-Garhwal, -Kumaon, and in Nepal, and may be easily distinguished by its red beak and the greater extent of the white nape-patch.
- Migration
- Vertical migration
Behavior
The blue magpies are primarily arboreal birds. While most common in areas of dense jungle, they can also be found in agriculture areas and bare mountain sides at higher elevation. They frequently feed on the ground and adopt a hopping gait with the tail held high to prevent it coming into contact with the ground. They live in parties of seven or eight birds and are highly territorial. The flight is slow and undulating once the bird comes into the open. The food consists of small mammals, the eggs and young of other birds, insects, wild fruits and berries. This bird is very vocal with a variety of vocalizations.<p>The magpies build their nests in the forks of trees in areas of heavy foliage. The large nests are constructed out of sticks and lined with grass and other fibers. The clutch consists of three or four eggs. The base-colour varies from a pale, dingy yellowish-stone colour to a darkish rather reddish-stone colour, and there is very occasionally a faint greenish tinge. The markings consist of small specks, blotches, streaks, and mottlings of various shades of brown, sienna 1 or purple, and they generally tend to collect in a cap or zone about the broad end of the egg.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Ptilinopus leclancheri
Portly green dove of tropical lowland forest canopy. Male unmistakable, with cream-white head, neck, and upper breast contrasting with dark wings, tail, and body. Male’s black chin very difficult to see. Female a dark mossy green with a contrasting pale yellow bill, unlike any other pigeon in its range. Generally uncommon and unobtrusive. Song a deep, throaty “rrrooooooo” that does not carry far.
Banggai Crow
Corvus unicolor
An entirely black, short-tailed, pale-eyed crow confined to the island of Peleng in the Banggai Islands. Occurs in groups within canopy of montane forest. Tail just barely extends beyond wingtips when perched. Shorter-tailed and shorter-billed than Slender-billed Crow, and shows a pale eye, unlike that species. Voice also differs. Song is a “whee-kew-kew-kew,” with a rasping note starting the series and higher-pitched, ascending whistles following.
Pygmy Cuckooshrike
Celebesica abbotti
A distinctive small cuckooshrike with bright white underbody, a dusky gray upperside, and a prominent red eye. Males display a contrasting black face and chin, while females’ faces have the same gray color as the back. An arboreal bird, usually encountered singly or in pairs (or occasionally small parties) within mixed-species flocks in canopy of montane forest. Song starts with one or two piercing high “whit” notes followed by a short jumble of four notes. Also gives single high-pitched “whit” and “seep” calls.
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