Blue-winged Leafbird
Encyclopedia
The Blue-winged Leafbird (Chloropsis cochinchinensis) is a species of leafbird
found in forest and second growth
from far north-eastern India
and throughout Southeast Asia
as far east as Borneo
and as far south as Java
. It commonly includes Jerdon's Leafbird
(C. jerdoni) from the Indian Subcontinent
, and the Bornean Leafbird
(C. kinabaluensis) from northern Borneo as subspecies
, but differs from both in measurements and morphology
, with Jerdon's lacking any blue to the flight feathers, and Bornean having a distinctive male-like female plumage. The distribution of the Blue-winged and the Bornean Leafbird are known to approach each other, but there is no evidence of intergradation
.
The male is green-bodied with a yellow-tinged head, black face and throat. It has a blue moustachial line. The female differs in that it has a greener head and blue throat, and young birds are like the female but without the blue throat patch.
It is common to fairly common throughout most of its range, and therefore considered to be of least concern
by BirdLife International
.
The superficially similar Golden-fronted Leafbird
lacks blue in the flight feathers and tail, and has a golden forehead.
As in other leafbirds, the call of the Blue-winged Leafbird consists of a rich mixture of imitations of the calls of various other species of birds.
Leafbird
The leafbirds are a family of small passerine bird species found in India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. They are one of only three bird families that are entirely endemic to the Indomalayan ecozone. They were formerly grouped with the ioras and fairy-bluebirds in the family Irenidae...
found in forest and second growth
Secondary forest
A secondary forest is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a major disturbance such as fire, insect infestation, timber harvest or windthrow, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident...
from far north-eastern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and throughout Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
as far east as Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
and as far south as Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
. It commonly includes Jerdon's Leafbird
Jerdon's Leafbird
The Jerdon's Leafbird is a species of leafbird found in forest and woodland in India and Sri Lanka. Its name honours Thomas C. Jerdon. It has traditionally been considered a subspecies of the Blue-winged Leafbird The Jerdon's Leafbird (Chloropsis jerdoni) is a species of leafbird found in forest...
(C. jerdoni) from the Indian Subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
, and the Bornean Leafbird
Bornean Leafbird
The Bornean Leafbird , also known as the Kinabalu Leafbird, is a species of bird in the Chloropseidae family. It is found in humid forests in northern Borneo. It has traditionally been considered a subspecies of the Blue-winged Leafbird The Bornean Leafbird (Chloropsis kinabaluensis), also known as...
(C. kinabaluensis) from northern Borneo as subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
, but differs from both in measurements and morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
, with Jerdon's lacking any blue to the flight feathers, and Bornean having a distinctive male-like female plumage. The distribution of the Blue-winged and the Bornean Leafbird are known to approach each other, but there is no evidence of intergradation
Intergradation
In zoology, intergradation is the way in which two distinct subspecies are connected via areas where populations are found that have the characteristics of both...
.
The male is green-bodied with a yellow-tinged head, black face and throat. It has a blue moustachial line. The female differs in that it has a greener head and blue throat, and young birds are like the female but without the blue throat patch.
It is common to fairly common throughout most of its range, and therefore considered to be of least concern
Least Concern
Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...
by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
.
The superficially similar Golden-fronted Leafbird
Golden-fronted Leafbird
The Golden-fronted Leafbird is a species of leafbird. It is a common resident breeder in India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Southeast Asia. It often includes the Sumatran Leafbird from Sumatra as a subspecies, but the two differ extensively in, among others, morphology.Its habitat is forest and scrub...
lacks blue in the flight feathers and tail, and has a golden forehead.
As in other leafbirds, the call of the Blue-winged Leafbird consists of a rich mixture of imitations of the calls of various other species of birds.
External links
- Blue-winged Leafbird videos, photos & sounds on the Internet Bird Collection