Blue-winged Leafbird
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| Blue-winged Leafbird | ||||||||||||||
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| Chloropsis cochinchinensis Gmelin,, 1789 |
The Blue-winged Leafbird, Chloropsis cochinchinensis, is a leafbird. Leafbirds are a family of bulbul-like small passerine bird species found in India and southeast Asia. They were formerly grouped with the ioras in the family Irenidae.
The Blue-winged Leafbird is a common resident breeder in southern India, Sri Lanka, southeast Asia and Indonesia. Its habitat is forest and more open woodland, where it builds its nest in a tree, laying 2-3 eggs. This species eats insects, fruit and nectar.
Unlike the bulbuls, the sexes differ. The male is green-bodied with a yellow head, black face and throat. It has a blue moustachial line, wing patch and tail sides. The female differs in that it has a green head and blue throat, and young birds are like the female but without the blue throat patch.
The Sri Lankan race, C. c. jerdoni, lacks the blue in the wings and tail. The females and young of this form have a yellow border to the blue throat patch.
The similar Golden-fronted Leafbird lacks blue in the flight feathers and tail, and has a golden forehead.
Reference
- Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6