Blue-faced Malkoha
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| Blue-faced Malkoha | ||||||||||||||
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| Phaenicophaeus viridirostris (Jerdon, 1840) |
The Blue-faced Malkoha, Phaenicophaeus viridirostris , is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, which also includes the roadrunners, the anis, and the Hoatzin.
It is restricted to Sri Lanka and southern India. The Blue-faced Malkoha is a bird of open forests and scrub jungle. It nests in a thorn bush, the typical clutch being two, sometimes three, eggs.
This is a largish species at 39 cm. Its back and head are dark green, and the uppertail is green edged with white. The throat and belly are lighter green. There is a large blue patch around the eye and the bill is green. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller and barred above.
The Blue-faced Malkoha takes a variety of insects, caterpillars and small vertebrates. It occasionally eats berries.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Phaenicophaeus viridirostris. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6
