Nuthatch-Vanga
Hypositta corallirostris
Small blue vanga that acts like a creeper or small woodpecker, feeding by climbing up tree trunks. Male is all blue, while female is greenish-blue on the back; both have a coral-colored bill. Madagascar endemic that is found in eastern rainforest at low and middle elevations. Usually in pairs, which are typically part of mixed flocks of other bird species. Most common call is a high, accelerating, slurred trill. Size, color, and tree-creeping habits make it distinctive.
Identification
The nuthatch vanga (Hypositta corallirostris), also known as the coral-billed nuthatch-vanga and formerly as the coral-billed nuthatch, is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
Taxonomy
Genus: Hypositta; Family: Vangidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Hypositta corallirostris
- Authority
- (Newton, A, 1863)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Vangidae
- Genus
- Hypositta
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
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Beautiful Sibia
Heterophasia pulchella
A silky blue-gray sibia with a dark face found in foothill and montane evergreen forests. As with other sibias, travels through the upper levels of the forest in flocks. No other species combines overall gray plumage with a weak black mask and canopy-loving behavior. Calls loudly and frequently as it forages, giving sharp, querulous twitters, often followed by long drawn-out squeaks.
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